eSIM Market to Surpass $3 Billion by 2030
Global eSIM Market to Surpass $4.4 Billion by 2030 as Travel Adoption Booms:
The global eSIM market is experiencing rapid expansion, with forecasts suggesting that 1.3 billion people already own compatible smartphones, a number expected to exceed 3 billion by 2030.
Fresh data from CCS Insight highlights the role of travel-focused eSIMs in driving this growth. The number of active travel eSIMs is projected to rise from 70 million in 2024 to 280 million by the end of the decade. Overall, the market value is set to exceed $4.4 billion, fueled by the rise in international travel and growing consumer awareness of eSIM technology, according to TechRadar via Al Arabiya Business.
Challenge to Traditional Carriers:
Specialist providers like Airalo and Holafly are aggressively targeting international travelers with cheaper alternatives to traditional roaming. In April 2025, Airalo announced it had reached 20 million customers, doubling its base in less than a year.
Meanwhile, airlines and travel companies have started rolling out their own eSIM services, threatening the once-secure revenues mobile operators earned from roaming. Only a handful of telecom giants, including Vodafone and Orange, have responded with similar offerings. Analysts note that operators will need to carefully balance defensive strategies with opportunities to expand into new markets, win back churned customers, and diversify their services.
Regional Trends:
North America currently leads in travel eSIM adoption, with around 20% of international trips already using them. By 2030, this share is expected to rise to 41%, supported by widespread eSIM-compatible devices, including Apple’s eSIM-only iPhones introduced in 2022.
As adoption widens, Europe and Asia—both massive markets—are likely to play a decisive role in shaping global buying behavior. However, as eSIMs become mainstream, the early edge enjoyed by travel-specialist providers may fade, leading to commoditization. Analysts predict consolidation and diversification across the sector as saturation reduces switching opportunities.
For global telecom operators, declining roaming fees pose a clear revenue threat, but also an opportunity to rethink business models and introduce new services in a fast-changing environment.
“Travel eSIMs are revolutionizing the roaming market,” said Kester Mann, Director of Consumer and Connectivity at CCS Insight. “The influx of new players, sharp price drops, and a shift toward remote service delivery are transforming how people think about connectivity when traveling.”
