Gitnux/Report 2026

Esim Industry Statistics

By 2030, the global eSIM market is expected to reach $6.28B—starting from $1.12B in 2022. See the key drivers now.
269Statistics
78Sources
12Sections
1Visuals
45mRead
November 11, 2026Updated
Esim Industry Statistics
Julian RichterWritten by Julian Richter·Edited by David Sutherland·Fact-checked by Rebecca Hargrove
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Gitnux editors write the brief first: the topic, the inclusion rules, and the frame for what belongs.

02Source Research

Agents search the published record and log every extracted figure back to the passage it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The esim industry at a glance

The eSIM industry reached an estimated $11.9 billion in 2025, while global eSIM shipments rose 18% to 605 million units as consumer, IoT and automotive adoption broadened.

$11.9B[17]
Market size, 2025
605M[10]
Global shipments, 2025
18%[10]
Shipment growth, 2025
42.9%[17]
North America share, 2025
Market size
Grand View Research estimates the global eSIM market at $11.9 billion in 2025 and $12.8 billion in 2026. The estimate covers eSIM hardware and connectivity-related applications across consumer electronics and machine-to-machine markets.[17]
Forecast & CAGR
The market is forecast to reach $17.7 billion by 2033, representing a 4.7% compound annual growth rate from 2026 to 2033. Separately, Trusted Connectivity Alliance members reported 18% growth in global eSIM shipments during 2025.[17][10]
Market share & regions
North America accounted for 42.9% of global eSIM market revenue in 2025, according to Grand View Research. GSMA Intelligence’s earlier regional scenario showed Europe and North America as the most advanced adoption markets, while Asia-Pacific represented the largest long-term volume opportunity because of its larger smartphone and IoT base.[17][74]
Segmentation
Connectivity services represented 86.9% of eSIM market revenue in 2025, while the M2M application segment represented 67.1%. The principal demand categories are consumer electronics, M2M and IoT, with smartphones, wearables, connected vehicles and industrial equipment among the main use cases.[17]
Key players & concentration
The Trusted Connectivity Alliance estimates that its members represent approximately 85% of the global eSIM hardware market; its members shipped 523 million of the 605 million eSIM units estimated globally in 2025. This indicates substantial concentration among established eSIM hardware suppliers, although connectivity and travel-eSIM services remain more fragmented.[10]
Pricing
Travel eSIM pricing varies by destination, validity and data allowance. Airalo listed a 1 GB, seven-day Asia regional plan at $5.00 and a 3 GB, 30-day global plan covering 168 countries at $24.00.[14]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Growth is being driven by wider eSIM availability in smartphones, wearables, vehicles and IoT devices, alongside easier digital activation and remote operator switching. The GSMA’s SGP.32 standard is intended to simplify remote provisioning for constrained and large-scale IoT deployments, but interoperability, security, technical integration and changing operator business models remain challenges.[1]
Consumer behavior & competition
Consumer eSIM profile downloads increased 43% year on year in 2025, according to the Trusted Connectivity Alliance. Competition is expanding beyond mobile network operators to travel-eSIM platforms and MVNOs, with digital onboarding, local data access for travelers and multi-profile device management becoming important differentiators.[10][1]
M&A
Tata Communications acquired a 58.1% majority stake in France-based eSIM technology provider Oasis Smart SIM Europe in 2023, expanding its enterprise mobility and eSIM software capabilities. The transaction illustrates continued vertical integration between connectivity providers and eSIM platform specialists.[20]
Regulation
The GSMA eSIM specification framework remains the main industry interoperability and compliance reference. SGP.32 version 1.3 for IoT was published on May 22, 2026, while the GSMA’s 2025 compliance reporting covers certified eUICCs, devices, platforms and security schemes across consumer, IoT and M2M markets.[1]
Latest news
The latest reported industry shipment data, released on March 2, 2026, showed 605 million eSIMs shipped globally in 2025, up 18% year on year, alongside a 43% increase in consumer profile downloads. In May 2026, GSMA published SGP.32 version 1.3, updating the technical foundation for IoT eSIM deployments.[10][1]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Esim Industry

The leading companies in the esim industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in travel eSIM connectivity

    Airalo

    US

    Ranked #1 · 8.9 · Travel eSIM connectivity

    Why we picked it: Consumer travel eSIM connectivity, scaled via app distribution and multi-country plan coverage.

    See in ranking ↓Visit airalo.com ↗

  2. Leader in eSIM orchestration

    Redtea Mobile

    SG

    Ranked #3 · 8.8 · eSIM orchestration

    Why we picked it: eSIM orchestration provider that supports global provisioning infrastructure for connectivity.

    See in ranking ↓Visit redteamobile.com ↗

  3. Leader in global mobile connectivity

    1GLOBAL

    GB

    Ranked #4 · 8.8 · Global mobile connectivity

    Why we picked it: Global mobile connectivity services built through operating scope tied to the Truphone acquisition.

    See in ranking ↓Visit 1global.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the esim industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Airalo

Travel eSIM connectivity · US

8.9
2

Holafly

Travel eSIM connectivity · ES

8.9
3

Redtea Mobile

eSIM orchestration · SG

8.8
4

1GLOBAL

Global mobile connectivity · GB

8.8
5

IDEMIA

eSIM platforms and provisioning · FR

8.7
6

Giesecke+Devrient

eSIM hardware, OS and remote provisioning · DE

8.7
7

Tata Communications

Global IoT connectivity and eSIM enablement · IN

8.7
8

Kigen

eSIM, iSIM operating systems and RSP · GB

8.7
9

STMicroelectronics

eSIM and iSIM secure-element chips · CH

8.5
10

Valid

eSIMs, RSP and connectivity platforms · BR

7.9

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 11, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Top 10 companies in the esim industry. In Esim Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/esim-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

Mobile network operators that have launched commercial eSIM service for smartphones (global regions)

Europe leads with 88.

Europe88
Asia Pacific63
MENA30
Latin America29
Sub-Saharan Africa22
CIS15
source-verifiedkigen.com

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

Telecom adoption of generative AI intersects with eSIM distribution, while GSMA SGP.32 supports automated, server-driven provisioning for large-scale IoT deployments.

AI in the esim industry

  • 1 billion eSIM smartphone connections are forecast globally by the end of 2025, supporting mobile operators’ expanding use of generative AI for customer service and sales; global, 2025.[1]
  • 74% of telecommunications operators had deployed or were testing commercial generative-AI solutions, including operators offering eSIM services; global, 2025.[2]

Automation in the esim industry

  • 26% of surveyed telecom respondents said eSIM reduces customer-acquisition and distribution costs, while 18% cited improved operational efficiency and logistics; global, 2026.[3]
  • 75 million new eSIM connections are forecast from connected logistics, oil and gas, and smart street-lighting applications in 2026, enabled partly by automated server-driven provisioning under GSMA SGP.32; global, 2026.[4]

Digital Transformation in the telecommunications sector (sector benchmark)

  • About 20% of telecommunications companies qualified as leaders in data transformation, having established intelligent, agile and scalable data estates; survey across 24 countries, 2024.[5]
  • Close to 80% of telecommunications executives said their companies were not ready to become data-first, AI-driven organizations, despite expecting data and AI to transform their businesses within three years; global survey, 2024.[5]
  • 72% of telecommunications executives reported difficulty implementing and scaling generative-AI use cases, citing outdated architectures and fragmented data; survey across 24 countries, 2024.[5]
  • Telco IT spending rose to 6.9% of revenue in 2023, from 6.6% in 2022, among European telecommunications operators surveyed by TeBIT.[6]

Technology Adoption in the telecommunications sector (sector benchmark)

  • European telecommunications operators ranked in the third-highest AI-maturity category, AI scaling, while no surveyed operator reached the highest category, AI future-built; TeBIT survey, 2024.[6]
  • Telecommunications operators expected to upskill 10% of employees in artificial-intelligence knowledge and use during 2024; European TeBIT survey.[6]
  • European telecommunications operators expected AI and generative-AI spending to reach 0.24% of revenue in 2024 before declining to 0.20% in 2025; TeBIT survey.[6]
  • Telecommunications operators allocated 0.16% of revenue to artificial intelligence and generative AI in 2023, compared with 0.49% for the global telecom industry and 0.42% cross-sector.[6]
  • Telecommunications operators expected 1.27% of their workforce to be dedicated to AI and generative AI by the end of 2024, up from 1.0% in 2023; European TeBIT survey.[6]

Cloud Computing in the telecommunications sector (sector benchmark)

  • 42% of communications service providers hosting business-customer workloads believed rising AI demand would shift workloads from private clouds to telco edge clouds; survey across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, 2025.[7]
  • 47% of telecommunications respondents identified hosting workloads as their top motivation for operating a telco cloud, including 25% focused on business-customer workloads and 22% on third-party applications; 2025.[7]
  • 55% of telecommunications respondents said business customers would choose telco cloud services because of their location at the network edge; survey across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, 2025.[7]
  • 26% of telecommunications respondents identified bundled networking, security and cloud services under one pricing package as a primary factor in business-customer adoption; survey across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, 2025.[7]
  • 29% of telecommunications respondents used telco clouds to host communications-service-provider services, particularly data services; survey across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, 2025.[7]

Big Data in the telecommunications sector (sector benchmark)

  • 52% of telecommunications executives expected data and AI transformation to have a high-to-disruptive impact on net promoter scores; survey across 24 countries, 2024.[5]
  • 82% of telecommunications executives rated their companies as low-to-medium maturity in data strategy and governance, while 18% rated them highly mature; survey across 24 countries, 2024.[5]
  • 96% of telecommunications executives rated their companies as low-to-medium maturity in data transformation, including data quality and consistency, while 4% rated them highly mature; survey across 24 countries, 2024.[5]
  • 84% of telecommunications executives rated their companies as low-to-medium maturity in data infrastructure, while 16% rated them highly mature; survey across 24 countries, 2024.[5]
  • 90% of telecommunications executives rated their companies as low-to-medium maturity in data architecture, while 10% rated them highly mature; survey across 24 countries, 2024.[5]

Blockchain in the esim industry

  • 1 China Unicom and WeBank proof of concept used eSIMs and blockchain to authenticate data collected by IoT devices; China, 2020.[1]
  • More than 25 million users in over 140 countries were reported for DENT Wireless, a blockchain-based mobile eSIM data marketplace; global, early 2024.[8]

IoT in the telecommunications sector (sector benchmark)

  • 74% of surveyed enterprises included 5G Reduced Capability or enhanced Reduced Capability in their IoT deployment road maps; Verizon survey, 2025.[9]
  • 81% of organizations in the midst of an IoT deployment saw value in 5G technology; Verizon survey of 500 companies, 2025.[9]
  • 84% of surveyed companies identified artificial intelligence as a fundamental enabling technology for their IoT projects; Verizon survey of 500 companies, 2025.[9]
  • 66% of surveyed organizations already had a cellular IoT deployment operational; Verizon survey of 500 companies, 2025.[9]
  • 70% of surveyed companies said artificial intelligence had accelerated their IoT investments and deployments; Verizon survey of 500 companies, 2025.[9]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Adoption shows up in penetration and activation metrics: 5% eSIM smartphone penetration at end of 2025 and a forecast of 10% for end of 2026.

Business intelligence in the esim industry

  • 73% of mobile network operators had launched commercial eSIM for smartphones by 2026, according to GSMA Intelligence.[1]
  • 5% was global eSIM smartphone penetration at the end of 2025, according to GSMA Intelligence.[1]
  • 10% is the forecast global eSIM smartphone penetration for the end of 2026.[1]
  • 42% of all SIM technologies are forecast to be eSIM by 2030 globally.[1]
  • 2.5 billion eSIM-enabled smartphone connections are forecast globally by 2028.[1]
  • 76% global eSIM penetration was forecast for 2030 in GSMA Intelligence’s June 2024 outlook.[1]

Data analytics in the esim industry

  • 5 times was the increase in eSIM activation traffic on the first day of an eSIM-only iPhone launch for a North American operator with more than 80 million subscribers.[1]
  • More than 300% was the increase in that North American operator’s eSIM activation traffic during the first month after the eSIM-only iPhone launch.[1]
  • 43% was the year-on-year increase in consumer eSIM profile downloads globally in 2025, tracked through TCA member market monitoring.[10]
  • 18% was the year-on-year increase in deployed consumer eSIM Subscription Manager platforms globally in 2024.[10]
  • 75 million new eSIM connections are forecast from connected logistics, oil and gas, and smart street-lighting sectors in 2026.[4]
  • 56% was the year-on-year increase in consumer eSIM profile downloads globally in 2024, according to TCA monitoring.[10]

Data Quality in the telecommunications sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across telecommunications, 7% of operators said network-data updates occurred immediately after field work, while 49% said updates occurred within one week in 2026.[11]
  • Across telecommunications, 13% of operators said more than three-quarters of their network records were accurate in 2026, based on 500 senior decision-makers in the US, Canada and UK.[11]
  • Across telecommunications, 71% of operators identified project and service-activation delays as the most common impact of inaccurate physical network data in 2026.[11]
  • Across telecommunications, 48% of operators still used paper notes in the field that were manually entered into digital network systems later in 2026.[11]
  • Across telecommunications, 78% of operators said network-asset data quality had a critical or major influence on merger-and-acquisition valuations in 2026.[11]
  • Across telecommunications, 100% of operators reported business impacts from inaccurate physical network data during the previous 12 months in 2026, including delays and valuation risks.[11]

Data Governance in the telecommunications sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across telecommunications, 80% of operators ranked telecoms experience and cost among their three most important criteria when selecting data-platform providers in 2025.[12]
  • Across telecommunications, 21% of operators reported using a mixture of integrated architecture and siloed data management in 2025.[13]
  • Across telecommunications, more than 60% of operators planning higher data-platform spending expected increases of 1% to 10% over the next three years in 2025.[12]
  • Across telecommunications, 21 of 26 operators surveyed expected to increase data-platform investment during the following three years in 2025.[12]
  • Across telecommunications, 58% of operators surveyed worldwide had fully deployed one or two data platforms in 2025, according to a survey of 26 operators.[12]
  • Across telecommunications, 41% of operators reported an end-to-end data architecture integrating all departments, while 38% managed data in separate departmental silos in 2025.[13]

KPIs in the esim industry

  • 30 million customers had been reached by Airalo globally by June 2026.[14]
  • 1.5 billion devices using eSIMs are forecast globally in 2026, up 30% from 1.2 billion in 2025.[4]
  • More than 25 million eSIMs had been sold by Holafly globally by 2026.[15]
  • More than 15 million eSIMs had been sold by Holafly across 200 destinations by September 2025.[15]
  • 503 million eSIM units were shipped by TCA members in 2024.[10]
  • 523 million eSIM units were shipped by TCA members in 2025.[10]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Forecast demand relies on both connectivity hardware and activation channels; global eSIM shipments rose 18% to 605 million units in 2025.

Growth in the esim industry

  • Global eSIM smartphone connections were projected to reach 850 million by 2025 in GSMA Intelligence’s baseline scenario.[16]
  • Global eSIM shipments grew 35% to 503 million units in 2024 among TCA members.[10]
  • Global eSIM shipments grew 18% to 605 million units in 2025.[10]
  • Airalo raised $220 million in 2025 to accelerate global eSIM expansion and became the industry’s first eSIM unicorn.[14]
  • The eSIM market was forecast to grow from $12.8 billion in 2026 to $17.7 billion in 2033, equivalent to a 4.7% CAGR.[17]
  • The eSIM market was forecast to increase from $4.7 billion in 2023 to $16.3 billion in 2027.[18]

Differentiation in the esim industry

  • Airalo launched unlimited data plans in 2025 as part of its product expansion strategy.[14]
  • Airalo’s eSIM lifecycle was reported to emit 46% less carbon dioxide than a single physical SIM card in 2025.[14]
  • The GSMA’s SGP.32 specification was launched in 2025 to support server-driven activation for large-scale IoT deployments.[4]
  • Airalo offered eSIM plans across more than 200 countries and regions in 2025 as a geographic breadth differentiator.[14]
  • The eSIM industry was forecast to support 6.7 billion smartphone connections by 2030 in GSMA Intelligence’s baseline scenario.[16]

Mergers and acquisitions in the esim industry

  • TPT Global Tech agreed to acquire UK-based eSIM provider Geokall in an all-stock transaction valued at $1 million in 2023.[19]
  • Tata Communications initially acquired a 58.1% majority stake in Oasis Smart SIM in 2020.[20]
  • TP Global Operations completed its acquisition of Truphone’s assets and subsidiaries in January 2023.[1]
  • CSL acquired IoTM Solutions in July 2026 to build a global platform for multi-carrier IoT connectivity management and eSIM orchestration.[21]
  • CSL Group acquired US IoT eSIM provider SIMPL Wireless in October 2026, its second acquisition of that year.[22]
  • Trasna acquired cloud eSIM provider Workz in September 2024 to expand its IoT communications capabilities.[23]

Strategic partnerships in the esim industry

  • Thales provided Cyshield with an eSIM management platform in 2025 to enable secure over-the-air mobile-subscription downloads.[24]
  • The eSIM provisioning ecosystem mapped 70 mobile operators to Thales across 38 countries in 2026.[25]
  • Workz partnered with 1oT in April 2023 to support eSIM and IoT connectivity services.[26]
  • Orange and IDEMIA partnered on a prepaid connectivity kit containing 50GB of 5G data for an international sporting event in France.[27]
  • Tata Communications combined its MOVE platform with Oasis eSIM and remote-SIM-provisioning capabilities after completing the Oasis acquisition in 2023.[20]
  • The eSIM provisioning ecosystem mapped 49 mobile operators to each of G+D Mobile Security and IDEMIA in 2026, indicating extensive supplier-operator collaboration.[25]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce readiness remains a constraint as data and AI execution maturity lags, with 96% of executives rating data transformation maturity low-to-medium.

Hiring in the esim industry

  • Approximately 81,000 employees worked at Thales, whose portfolio includes eSIM and remote-connectivity solutions; global workforce, 2024.[24]
  • 300+ employees worked at Airalo across more than 50 countries in May 2025; global workforce, 2025.[28]
  • Kigen listed 1 current platform/infrastructure-engineering vacancy supporting SIM and eSIM services; global hiring, 2026.[29]
  • 7 open roles were listed for Airalo in November 2026; global hiring, 2026.[30]
  • Airalo’s team was distributed across 60+ countries and six continents; global workforce, 2026.[14]

Remote Work in the telecommunications sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across technology and telecommunications companies, 5% of corporate employees were expected to work fully remotely in 2024, according to surveyed CEOs globally.[31]
  • At Kyivstar, 77% of employees were permitted to work in hybrid or remote capacities in 2024.[32]
  • At TTEC, approximately 50% of global employees worked remotely in 2025, while the remaining 50% worked onsite.[19]
  • Across telecommunications employers, 41% permitted fully remote working and relocation beyond commuting distance in 2024, compared with 34% across all sectors.[33]

Hybrid Work in the telecommunications sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across a global survey of enterprise employees considering telecom-enabled hybrid work, 54% reported some autonomy over their work location and 36% reported total autonomy in 2024.[34]
  • Across Cisco’s surveyed workforce, 45% reported hybrid working, defined as one to four office days per week, in 2025.[35]
  • Across technology and telecommunications companies, 30% of corporate employees were expected to work in a hybrid arrangement in 2024, according to surveyed CEOs globally.[31]
  • In the UK information and communication industry, 49% of businesses reported hybrid working during December 2023.[36]

Employee Engagement in the telecommunications sector (sector benchmark)

  • At NBN Co, the overall employee engagement score was 77% in June 2024, based on a survey with a 90% participation rate.[37]
  • At Deutsche Telekom, the Group engagement score was 77 points on a 0–100 scale in 2025, excluding T-Mobile US.[38]
  • At Vodafone, the employee engagement index was 75% in 2025 across the Group.[39]
  • At AT&T, the employee engagement score was 79% in 2025 across its global workforce.[40]
  • At Chunghwa Telecom, 95.15% of surveyed employees identified with and were actively engaged in their work during 2025.[41]

DEI in the esim industry

  • Kigen stated that it is an equal-employment-opportunity employer covering race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, and other protected characteristics; global policy, 2026.[29]
  • Airalo’s workforce spanned more than 60 countries and six continents, with the company stating that it values diversity, inclusion, and equity; global workforce, 2026.[14]

Change Management in the telecommunications sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across communications service providers, 77% reported having a formal network-transformation strategy in 2024.[42]
  • Across telecommunications businesses, 33% said organizations underestimate the internal cultural impact of technological changes, contributing to internal resistance in 2024.[43]
  • Among telco executives, 18% viewed change management as a top-three telco-cloud investment area, while expected spending averaged 6% of telco-cloud investment in 2023.[44]
  • Across communications service providers, 88% said network transformation was critical to organizational survival in 2024.[42]
  • Across telecommunications businesses, 36% cited resistance to change as a primary source of tension between business and technology leaders in 2024.[43]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Consumer acceptance is measurable in repeat intent and usage rates, including 95% of first-time travel-eSIM users saying they would use eSIM again.

Customer experience in the esim industry

  • 52% of U.S. eSIM users describe activation as very easy in 2026.[45]
  • 39% of eSIM-aware respondents had used an eSIM in Counterpoint Research’s 2024 survey.[46]
  • 95% of travelers using an eSIM for the first time in summer 2025 said they would use one again.[15]
  • 51% of eSIM users used an eSIM while traveling abroad for leisure or personal reasons during the previous 12 months.[1]
  • 85% of U.S. consumers who have used eSIM describe the experience as positive in 2026.[45]

Customer retention in the esim industry

  • 95% of first-time travel-eSIM users surveyed by Holafly said they would use an eSIM again in 2025.[15]
  • 60% of mobile-industry respondents said eSIM would have a moderate or very strong impact on customer retention in 2024.[47]
  • 70% of U.S. mobile subscribers reassessed their mobile plan at least once a year in 2026, in a survey discussing eSIM-enabled switching.[45]
  • eSIM customers were reported as more likely to churn than non-eSIM customers in a 19-country survey conducted in 2025.[12]

Customer acquisition in the esim industry

  • 44% of U.S. consumers reported having used eSIM in 2026, indicating the addressable consumer base for eSIM providers.[45]
  • 30 million customers had used Airalo by 2026, according to the company.[14]
  • Saily reached a seven-digit user base after launching its eSIM app in March 2024.[48]
  • 10 million Holafly eSIM plans had been sold worldwide by July 2025.[49]

Customer loyalty in the esim industry

  • 95% of first-time travel-eSIM users said they would use an eSIM again in Holafly’s summer 2025 survey.[15]
  • Nearly one-quarter of eSIM users in Holafly’s customer base were on multi-country trips in 2025.[15]
  • 60% of U.S. consumers said they had switched mobile providers before in 2026, showing low switching barriers in the market where eSIM is used.[45]

Lead generation in the esim industry

  • 49% of industry respondents identified insufficient consumer awareness or understanding as the biggest challenge to eSIM adoption in 2024.[47]
  • 8% of eSIM-aware consumers discovered the technology through their mobile operator in the 2024 GSMA survey.[50]
  • 45% of industry respondents rated eSIM demand as moderately or very high in the 2025 Mobile World Live industry survey.[18]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

App distribution remains a key execution lever: Airalo recorded 14 million total Google Play installs by November 2026.

Marketing in the esim industry

  • 49% of organizations surveyed in 2024 cited lack of consumer awareness or understanding as their biggest eSIM-adoption challenge.[47]
  • 35% eSIM awareness was reported among surveyed consumers in Counterpoint Research coverage published in 2024.[51]
  • 8% of eSIM-aware consumers said operators had informed them about eSIM in 2024.[50]
  • 60% of consumers were aware of eSIM in the 2025 GSMA Intelligence consumer survey.[52]

Digital marketing in the esim industry

  • 370,000 Airalo app installs were recorded during the 30 days preceding November 10, 2026.[53]
  • 6.7 million total Google Play installs were recorded for the Holafly travel-eSIM app by November 2026.[53]
  • 250,000 Holafly app installs were recorded during the 30 days preceding November 10, 2026.[53]
  • 14 million total Google Play installs were recorded for the Airalo travel-eSIM app by November 2026.[53]

Branding in the esim industry

  • 37% of U.S. consumers held a positive view of non-traditional mobile providers in 2026, while 38% were neutral.[45]
  • 30% of U.S. consumers said they were excited by choosing a mobile plan from a brand they already trusted in 2026, in research covering eSIM-enabled mobile switching.[45]

Influencer Marketing in the telecommunications sector (sector benchmark)

  • Boost Mobile’s geo-targeted influencer campaign delivered 37% higher omnichannel return on advertising spend in the United States in 2025.[54]
  • Plush recorded a 160% increase in post-paid subscription activations after its TikTok influencer campaign in Poland in 2025.[55]
  • Boost Mobile’s New York influencer campaign produced 1.1 million impressions in the United States in 2025.[54]
  • Boost Mobile’s New York influencer campaign achieved a 4.3% engagement rate in the United States in 2025, four times the stated industry benchmark.[54]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Back-end integration friction is a recurring operational issue, and activation latency benchmarks distinguish under 1 minute targets from waits exceeding 5 minutes.

Process optimization in the esim industry

  • 43% of connectivity providers identify enhanced fraud and risk-management capabilities as necessary for eSIM business growth.[27]
  • 40% of mobile network operators reported that interfacing back-end systems with remote SIM provisioning for SM-DS activation was moderately or very difficult.[47]
  • 1–2 minutes is considered acceptable for online or self-activation, while waits exceeding 5 minutes can create customer frustration, according to an eSIM activation process benchmark.[56]
  • Under 1 minute is the activation target for top-tier telcos offering eSIM or physical SIM services, according to an industry process benchmark.[56]
  • 73% of operators consider georedundancy and high capacity crucial for their eSIM infrastructure within three years.[27]

Operational efficiency in the esim industry

  • 35% of MNO respondents rated back-end integration with remote SIM provisioning as moderately difficult.[47]
  • 26% of MVNO respondents found interfacing their back-end systems with remote SIM provisioning very difficult.[47]
  • 7% of MNO respondents rated back-end integration with remote SIM provisioning as very difficult.[47]
  • 25% of respondents in the MNO, MVNO and OEM sample found back-end integration with remote SIM provisioning easy.[47]
  • 35% of MVNO respondents found interfacing their back-end systems with remote SIM provisioning moderately difficult.[47]

Quality management in the esim industry

  • 16 discrete eUICC products received GSMA certification in 2023.[1]
  • 58 consumer eSIM device products received GSMA certification in 2022.[1]
  • 61 consumer eSIM device products received GSMA certification in 2024.[1]
  • 17 discrete eUICC products received GSMA certification in 2024.[1]
  • 14 discrete eUICC products received GSMA certification in 2025.[1]

Supply chain in the esim industry

  • 38% of manufacturing and industrial cellular-IoT adopters cited eSIM capital expenditure as a significant adoption barrier.[57]
  • 45% of transport and logistics respondents with a cellular-IoT deployment reported using eSIM, the highest adoption among surveyed verticals.[29]
  • 65.7% of cellular-IoT adopters said eSIM allowed their organization to reduce device stock-keeping-unit count.[29]
  • Consumer eSIM profile downloads increased 43% year on year in 2025.[10]
  • 523 million eSIM units were shipped by Trusted Connectivity Alliance members in 2025.[10]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the telecommunications sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across telecommunications, 26% of IT leaders planned to increase onshoring spend over the following 12 months in the 2018 survey.[31]
  • Across European telecommunications, 22% of outsourced services were nearshored and 23% were moved to more distant offshore locations, based on 2013 data.[58]
  • Across European telecommunications, 55% of outsourced services remained domestic, based on EY data covering 2013.[58]
  • Across telecommunications, 25% of IT leaders planned to increase outsourcing spend over the following 12 months in the 2018 survey.[31]
  • Across telecommunications, 17% of IT leaders planned to increase offshoring spend over the following 12 months in the 2018 survey.[31]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Pricing is still plan- and destination-dependent; Airalo listed $5.00 for a 1 GB, seven-day Asia regional plan and $24.00 for 3 GB over 168 countries.

Pricing strategy in the esim industry

  • Airalo served more than 20 million travelers across over 200 destinations in 2025, supporting a globally distributed travel-eSIM pricing model.[14]
  • 17% of surveyed travelers in South Korea reported subscribing to digital-SIM travel packages in 2024.[59]
  • 15% of surveyed travelers in Singapore reported subscribing to digital-SIM travel packages in 2024.[59]
  • 14% of surveyed travelers in Australia reported subscribing to digital-SIM travel packages in 2024.[59]
  • 19% of surveyed travelers in China reported subscribing to digital-SIM travel packages in 2024.[59]

Cost reduction in the esim industry

  • 11.4% of cellular-IoT adopters said eSIM helps avoid permanent-roaming restrictions.[29]
  • 38% of manufacturing and industrial cellular-IoT adopters identified eSIM capital expenditure as a key cost barrier.[57]
  • 22.9% of cellular-IoT adopters said eSIM enables long-term cost reduction.[29]
  • 65.7% of cellular-IoT adopters said eSIM reduces device stock-keeping-unit count, lowering estate-management complexity.[29]
  • 68.6% of cellular-IoT adopters said eSIM removes operator lock-in risk, enabling profile changes without replacing hardware.[29]

Profitability in the esim industry

  • The European eSIM market generated $2.57 billion in revenue in 2023, according to the cited market estimate.[60]
  • Airalo became the first eSIM company to achieve unicorn status in 2025, with a valuation above $1 billion.[14]
  • Airalo’s 2025 funding round included $185 million from lead investor CVC.[14]
  • Airalo raised $220 million in investment in 2025 at a valuation exceeding $1 billion.[14]
  • Airalo served more than 20 million travelers across more than 200 destinations in 2025.[14]

Financial planning in the esim industry

  • Airalo stated that its business platform can reduce roaming costs by up to 90%, a financial-planning input for corporate connectivity budgets.[14]
  • The European eSIM market generated $2.57 billion in revenue in 2023, providing a regional revenue base for eSIM investment planning.[60]
  • North American eSIM market revenue was estimated at 35%–40.2% of global eSIM market revenue in 2024.[60]
  • Airalo secured $220 million of growth capital in 2025 to fund expansion of its eSIM business.[14]
  • North American eSIM revenue is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.7% from 2025 to 2032.[60]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Device availability and certification broaden the install base, with 64 consumer eSIM device products GSMA-certified in 2025.

Product development in the esim industry

  • Apple’s iPhone 17 Air, launched in September 2025, was Apple’s first globally released smartphone without a physical SIM tray.[1]
  • 64 consumer eSIM device products were GSMA-certified in 2025, up from 61 in 2024 globally.[1]
  • 5 SM-DP+ products were GSMA-certified in 2025 globally, compared with 3 in 2024.[1]
  • 127 eSIM smartphones, tablets and smartwatches were commercially available globally in June 2022, five times the December 2018 level.[1]
  • 271 consumer eSIM-capable devices had been launched globally by June 2024, including smartphones, tablets and smartwatches.[1]

Product lifecycle in the esim industry

  • An eSIM produces 46% less carbon dioxide across its product lifecycle than a single physical SIM card, according to Airalo.[14]
  • 605 million eSIM units were shipped globally in 2025, an 18% increase from 2024.[10]
  • 523 million eSIM units were shipped by Trusted Connectivity Alliance members in 2025 globally.[10]
  • The number of deployed consumer eSIM Subscription Manager platforms increased 18% globally in 2024.[10]
  • TCA-member eSIM shipments reached 503 million units in 2024, increasing 35% year on year.[10]

After-sales in the esim industry

  • 32% of Airalo’s low-star eSIM support complaints in the reviewed 2025–2026 sample said the company could not fix the problem.[61]
  • 41% of Ubigi’s low-star eSIM support complaints in the reviewed 2025–2026 sample concerned slow or absent replies.[61]
  • 14% of 3,464 eSIM customer-service complaints reviewed globally in 2026 involved refused refunds.[61]
  • 28% of 3,464 eSIM customer-service complaints reviewed globally in 2026 concerned slow or absent replies.[61]
  • 30% of Holafly’s low-star eSIM support complaints in the reviewed 2025–2026 sample said the company could not fix the problem.[61]

Value proposition in the esim industry

  • Sensorise had about 3.5 million eSIM deployments in India by September 2025, supporting commercial-vehicle providers and global partners.[1]
  • Holafly had sold more than 15 million eSIMs across 200 destinations by September 2025.[15]
  • 87% of operators had deployed consumer eSIM commercially in the 2025 study, while nearly half questioned their onboarding efficiency.[27]
  • Holafly surpassed $500 million in cumulative revenue since the pandemic by September 2025.[15]
  • 74% of MNOs, MVNOs and MVNEs reported generally positive customer experiences with eSIM activation in a 2025 study.[27]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Sustainability reporting centers on lifecycle impacts; eSIM is reported to emit 46% less CO2e than a single physical SIM card.

Sustainability in the esim industry

  • 45% of SIM volumes reported by TCA members used the half-SIM format in 2025, up from 37% in 2024.[10]
  • 605 million eSIM units were shipped globally in 2025, an 18% year-on-year increase, according to TCA member data.[10]
  • Over 40% of SIM volumes in Europe were manufactured using eco-friendly raw materials in 2025.[10]
  • 43% was the year-on-year increase in consumer eSIM profile downloads reported by TCA members in 2025.[10]
  • 43% of surveyed operators identified a need for enhanced fraud and risk-management capabilities in consumer eSIM deployments.[27]

ESG in the esim industry

  • Top 1% was Thales’s 2023 EcoVadis sustainability-rating position among assessed companies.[24]
  • 21.9% was the reduction in Thales operational direct emissions from 2018 to 2024, measured on a location-based basis.[24]
  • 250 suppliers were targeted by Thales for responsibility-charter, evaluation and carbon-assessment requirements by 2024.[24]
  • 70 mobile network operators representing more than 50% of worldwide mobile connections had adopted an SBTi-certified strategy, according to Thales’s 2025 ESG infographic.[24]
  • 55% of SIM cards sold by Thales incorporated eco-design elements in 2023.[24]

Circular economy in the esim industry

  • 23% was the increase in the share of SIM cards made from recycled refrigerators in CK Hutchison’s portfolio in 2024 versus 2023.[62]
  • 79.0 grams of CO2e was the lifecycle-emissions factor for a Central American ISO SIM made with recycled refrigerator plastic.[62]
  • 59% was the reduction in emissions across CK Hutchison’s SIM/eSIM portfolio in 2024 versus reference physical SIM sales.[62]
  • 29.9 grams of CO2e was the lifecycle-emissions factor for a European half-ISO SIM made with recycled refrigerator plastic.[62]
  • 233 tonnes of CO2e were avoided in 2024 through CK Hutchison’s combined circularity initiatives for devices, SIMs and eSIMs.[62]

Carbon footprint in the esim industry

  • 35 grams of CO2e per card was the estimated footprint of each SIM in Mobilise’s 2012 shipment analysis.[60]
  • 229 grams of CO2e was the corresponding lifecycle footprint of one physical SIM over three years in the same assessment.[63]
  • 2% of eSIM emissions occurred during production in the Fraunhofer IZM and G+D lifecycle assessment.[63]
  • 46% was the lifecycle CO2e reduction of eSIM versus physical SIM in the Fraunhofer IZM and G+D assessment.[63]
  • 140,000 tonnes of CO2e resulted from an estimated 4.5 billion SIM-card shipments in 2024.[60]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Volume growth is tied to footprint and provisioning coverage, while devices using eSIMs are forecast to rise from 1.2 billion in 2025 to 1.5 billion in 2026.

Globalization in the esim industry

  • Global eSIM smartphone penetration reached 5% at the end of 2025.[1]
  • 503 million eSIM units were shipped globally by TCA members in 2024, representing 35% year-on-year growth.[10]
  • North America accounted for more than half of global eSIM users in 2023.[71]
  • Airalo offered eSIM packages in more than 200 countries and regions in 2025.[14]
  • The number of devices using eSIMs was forecast to rise from 1.2 billion in 2025 to 1.5 billion in 2026, a 30% increase.[4]

Supplier management in the esim industry

  • Redtea Mobile was associated with 29 mobile network operators across 16 countries in the 2026 provisioning-infrastructure study.[25]
  • G+D Mobile Security was associated with 49 mobile network operators across 28 countries in the 2026 provisioning-infrastructure study.[25]
  • Valid USA was associated with 19 mobile network operators across 15 countries in the 2026 provisioning-infrastructure study.[25]
  • Worz Media was associated with 29 mobile network operators across 17 countries in the 2026 provisioning-infrastructure study.[25]
  • Thales was associated with 70 mobile network operators across 38 countries in a 2026 empirical mapping of eSIM provisioning infrastructure.[25]

Stakeholder management in the esim industry

  • G+D Mobile Security had 47 mapped SM-DP+ hostnames in the 2026 eSIM provisioning study.[25]
  • Eastcompeace Technology had 7 mapped SM-DP+ hostnames in the 2026 eSIM provisioning study.[25]
  • NovaCard had 8 mapped SM-DP+ hostnames in the 2026 eSIM provisioning study.[25]
  • Thales had 54 mapped SM-DP+ hostnames in the 2026 eSIM provisioning study.[25]
  • Valid USA had 19 mapped SM-DP+ hostnames in the 2026 eSIM provisioning study.[25]

Distribution channels in the esim industry

  • One in three Vodafone Australia customers signing up during the 12 months to November 2024 chose an eSIM.[72]
  • Consumer eSIM profile downloads increased 56% in 2024, indicating rapid expansion of digital activation channels.[10]
  • Airalo reported more than 10 million users in May 2024, up from its earlier customer base as its app-based channel expanded.[28]
  • Airalo had more than 20 million users by April 2025, using a fully digital eSIM distribution model.[14]
  • More than 300 mobile operators had deployed SM-DP+ infrastructure by the end of 2024, enabling digital eSIM activation channels.[73]

Key questions about the Esim Industry

What is the eSIM market size in 2025 and 2026?
The global eSIM market is estimated at $11.9 billion in 2025 and $12.8 billion in 2026.
How fast is the eSIM market growing after 2026?
The market is forecast to reach $17.7 billion by 2033, which implies a 4.7% compound annual growth rate from 2026 to 2033.
What technology shift is changing how eSIM provisioning works for IoT?
The GSMA’s SGP.32 standard targets remote provisioning for constrained and large-scale IoT deployments, and SGP.32 version 1.3 was published on May 22, 2026.
How concentrated is the eSIM hardware market?
Trusted Connectivity Alliance members represent approximately 85% of the global eSIM hardware market, shipping 523 million of the 605 million eSIM units estimated in 2025.
How are consumer eSIM activations trending in 2025 and what does that mean for operations?
Consumer eSIM profile downloads increased 43% year on year in 2025, alongside 605 million eSIM units shipped globally in 2025.
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Esim Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/esim-industry-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "Esim Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/esim-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "Esim Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/esim-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

78 sources cited across this report

  1. gsma.com
  2. intersputnik.int
  3. pliki.telepolis.pl
  4. juniperresearch.com
  5. accenture.com
  6. bcg.com
  7. rad.com
  8. onlinelibrary.wiley.com
  9. verizon.com
  10. trustedconnectivityalliance.org
  11. cambridgenetwork.co.uk
  12. analysysmason.com
  13. prod-cms.gsmaintelligence.com
  14. airalo.com
  15. esim.holafly.com
  16. gsmaintelligence.com
  17. grandviewresearch.com
  18. mobileinsights.mobileworldlive.com
  19. sec.gov
  20. tatacommunications.com
  21. ecipartners.com
  22. csl-group.com
  23. prnewswire.com
  24. thalesgroup.com
  25. dl.ifip.org
  26. en.wikipedia.org
  27. idemia.com
  28. cdn.airalo.com
  29. kigen.com
  30. scoutify.com
  31. assets.kpmg.com
  32. stocktitan.net
  33. ey.com
  34. stlpartners.com
  35. newsroom.cisco.com
  36. ons.gov.uk
  37. transparency.gov.au
  38. report.telekom.com
  39. vodafone.com
  40. sustainability.att.com
  41. cht.com.tw
  42. meritalktelecom.com
  43. kyndryl.com
  44. sogeti.com
  45. oxio.com
  46. counterpointresearch.com
  47. assets.mobileworldlive.com
  48. techcrunch.com
  49. lemonde.fr
  50. media-assets-prod.gsmaintelligence.com
  51. communicationstoday.co.in
  52. scribd.com
  53. appbrain.com
  54. ovative.com
  55. ads.tiktok.com
  56. page.camunda.com
  57. iot-now.com
  58. forba.at
  59. telna.com
  60. mobiliseglobal.com
  61. aissist.io
  62. ckhutchisontelecom.com
  63. gi-de.com
  64. bdo.com.qa
  65. capgemini.com
  66. nokia.com
  67. aap.com.au
  68. oaic.gov.au
  69. thebci.org
  70. netdiligence.com
  71. computerweekly.com
  72. getprice.com.au
  73. euicc.co.uk
  74. assets.foleon.com
  75. redteamobile.com
  76. assets.1global.com
  77. st.com
  78. trustedconnectivity.valid.com