Fintiv's Apple Pay suit failed in Texas, but they are trying again in Georgia
After losing a suit that took seven years to resolve, Fintiv is trying to sue Apple again, and is again alleging the company built Apple Pay using stolen mobile wallet technology.
Apple Wallet on an iPhone
Fintiv, formerly known as CorFire, develops technology used in digital wallets, and then promptly patents the inventions. The company focuses on secure mobile payments across phones, tablets, and other devices.
Fintiv has filed a civil lawsuit against Apple in the Northern District of Georgia, after getting beaten in Texas. The complaint is very slightly different, and alleges violations of federal and state RICO statutes and trade secret laws.
The new lawsuit, like the first, claims Apple misappropriated mobile wallet technology from Fintiv's predecessor, CorFire, during meetings held between 2011 and 2012. Apple allegedly used confidential information shared under non-disclosure agreements to develop Apple Pay.
According to a press release, Apple Pay incorporates core features Fintiv says originated from CorFire, including secure element and NFC technology. The suit also accuses Apple of illegally hiring away key CorFire employees before launching its own service.
The complaint alleges Apple formed a broader enterprise with major banks and payment processors to monetize the disputed technology. Institutions like JP Morgan Chase, Citibank, Visa, and Mastercard are named as part of this alleged association.
Fintiv further claims Apple's approach follows a pattern of falsely pursuing partnerships to access and exploit trade secrets. The lawsuit references similar allegations involving Masimo and Valencell related to Apple Watch technologies.
The case seeks to establish that Apple Pay's continued success relies on Fintiv's proprietary innovations. Fintiv's legal team intends to hold Apple accountable for what it calls ongoing and large-scale misuse of intellectual property.
Second verse, same as the first
This is not the first time Fintiv has taken legal action against Apple. In 2018, the company filed a lawsuit over a patent related to managing virtual cards in mobile wallets.
Similarly, the earlier complaint alleged Apple Pay infringed multiple patent claims through the iPhone, Apple Watch, and Wallet app. After some legal back and forth, and a discussion about what a widget is, that Fintiv lost, the case eventually was dismissed in August 2025. That dismissal, spotted by MacRumors, ruled that Apple did not infringe certain patents over paying with a widget.
Apple can file to recover legal costs in Texas from Fintiv, but to date, it has not done so.
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