Apple paid $17bn to Ireland last year due to back taxes
Apple’s payment to Ireland last year represented around 40pc of its total global tax expenditure – $43.2bn – during the fiscal year that ended in September 2025. Read more: Apple paid $17bn to Ireland last year due to back taxes
In the fiscal year ending September 2025, Apple paid $17.1bn in back taxes to Ireland, accounting for roughly 40% of its total global tax expenditure of $43.2bn during that period. This payment was a result of a decade-long legal battle with the European Commission, which ruled in September 2024 that Apple received unlawful tax advantages from Ireland.
After a 10-year legal process, the European Court of Justice decided in favor of the European Commission, imposing a €13bn debt on Apple. Apple's 2025 revenue in Ireland was €213.5bn, with 5,575 employees stationed there. Meanwhile, Germany had the second-highest number of Apple employees with 4,089 workers and generated €2.7bn in revenue.
Apple's low corporate tax rate of 12.5% in Ireland attracted many multinational corporations. Recently, Apple announced it would lower App Store fees for EU developers to adhere to the EU's fair market competition regulations. Apple is also facing a German competition authority ruling, which mandates changes to its consent prompts for tracking and personalized advertising on iPhone and iPad devices, impacting most other EU countries.
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