Travel eSIM adoption set to quadruple by 2030 as mobile operators face collapsing roaming revenues worldwide
- 1.3 billion people already have smartphones supporting ESIM worldwide today
- The ESIM Travel provisioning should go from 70 million to 280 million by 2030, according to complaints
- Specialized suppliers target international travelers, offering alternatives at a lower cost to traditional homelessness
The ESIM global market shows signs of spectacular expansion, current forecasts suggesting that 1.3 billion people already have a compatible smartphone, a figure that should exceed 3 billion by 2030.
The new figures from the CCS Insight analyst company affirm that travel esim in particular stimulate growth, the provisioned number in the world which should go from 70 million in 2024 to 280 million by the end of the decade.
The market value is expected to exceed $ 4.4 billion, fueled by the increase in international travel and higher familiarity with ESIM technology.
Disruption of traditional operators
Specialized suppliers such as Aries and Holafly aggressively aim for international travelers, offering alternatives at a lower cost to traditional roaming plans.
In April 2025, Airalo brought back 20 million customers, actually doubling its base in less than a year.
Meanwhile, some airlines and other travel -oriented companies have started to offer their own ESIM services, which adds the itinerant income of mobile operators.
Only a handful, including Vodafone and Orange, responded with comparable ESIM options, analysts suggesting that operators must carefully balance defensive strategies with opportunities to initiate new or exhausted customers, develop in additional countries and diversify the offers.
CCS Insight noted that North America leads to adoption, with almost a fifth of international trips already using travel ESIMs.
Forecasts indicate that this will reach 41% by 2030, reflecting the generalized use of ESIM compatible devices, including ESIM iPhones only introduced since 2022.
As use propagates, the best ESIM choices for Europe and Asia, which are very large markets, will also likely influence global purchasing decisions.
In addition, with the proliferation of ESIMS, the initial advantage held by specialists in the travel ESM can decrease, leading to commodification.
Analysts provide for consolidation and diversification in the sector, because saturation reduces the possibilities of disturbance.
For global mobile operators, the drop in roaming costs represents a clear threat to income – however, it is also a chance to rethink commercial models and explore new services in a rapidly evolving landscape.
“The travel esim are running the traditional itinerant market on its head. The influx of new players, a sharp drop in prices and progression to remote supply modify the way people think of connecting when they disappear, “said Kester Mann, director of consumer and connectivity at CCS Insight.
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