Appropay Wins Trademark Fight With Apple, Empowering LatAm Fintech

In a decision that shook the legal and tech ecosystem, Colombian fintech Approbe successfully registered the trademark Appropay after winning a trademark dispute against Apple. The Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC) ruled in favor of the startup, dismissing the U.S. giant’s claims that the name was similar to its Apple Pay service.

The SIC concluded that Appropay has sufficient distinctiveness and that its use does not create a risk of confusion or unfairly take advantage of Apple’s reputation. It also upheld Approbe’s argument that the terms “app” and “pay” are generic within the fintech sector and cannot be monopolized.

What does this mean for Latin American fintechs?

It’s much more than a legal victory. This ruling opens the door for regional startups to build their own brands without fear of being overshadowed by global giants. “Appropay was born from our mission, from our people, and for our people. We weren’t going to let them erase us from the map,” said Kenny Silva, CEO and co-founder of Approbe.

The trademark was filed by Duvera Kapital SAS, Approbe’s legal entity, under classes 9 and 36 of the Nice Classification, which cover payment processing software and financial services. Apple, represented by its global legal team and a law firm in Bogotá, filed a 40-page opposition claiming orthographic, phonetic, and visual similarity. However, the SIC’s analysis was clear: the full sign Appropay introduces a different concept, associated with a favorable application for making payments.

“We weren’t going to let them erase us from the map.”

The brand was filed under software and financial services. Apple submitted a lengthy opposition, but the technical analysis determined that Appropay conveys its own concept—an application that facilitates payments in an accessible way.

“Appropay was born from our mission, from our people, and for our people. We weren’t going to let them erase us from the map,” reiterated Silva.

What’s next for Appropay?

With the trademark secured, Approbe plans to expand Appropay into Mexico, Argentina, and Chile, integrating features such as biometrics, anti-fraud tools, and AI algorithms for credit assessment. Its goal: to democratize access to credit for microentrepreneurs across Latin America, without relying on traditional banking.

The company also pointed out that there are dozens of trademarks registered in Colombia combining “pay” with other terms, including names from giants like Google, Meta, Samsung, and Davivienda. This reinforces the idea that the term is not exclusive and that local innovation has space to grow with its own identity.

Approbe publicly acknowledged the legal leadership behind the trademark victory.

“We thank our attorney Nichole Silva for firmly defending what Appropay represents: a solution made in Colombia for Latin America,” the team shared in its official statement.