Travel eSIM Market Takes Flight and Disrupts Roaming Market
- Provisions of travel eSIMs forecast to quadruple by 2030
- Market value set to hit $4.4 billion in 2030
- Surge in ownership of eSIM-capable smartphones
- New players disrupt long-established roaming market
- Mobile operators face challenging questions
London, 2 September 2025: The travel eSIM market is a hotbed of activity. A rush of specialist providers including Airalo and Holafly are undercutting mobile operators with low-cost offers, riding on accelerating momentum for eSIM in smartphones. At the same time, other players, mostly from the travel sector such as airlines, are starting to offer international mobile services of their own, also through eSIM, in pursuit of new growth.
These movements raise important questions for mobile operators, which face yet another threat to their roaming revenue, a once-lucrative and predictable source of income. A small number, notably Vodafone and Orange, have already responded with their own travel eSIM offers.
CCS Insight’s latest Spotlight report reviews all angles of this burgeoning market. It assesses the opportunities and challenges for mobile operators, specialist eSIM providers and various players operating in the travel sector; forecasts usage, revenue, and pricing for the period up to 2030; and outlines possible scenarios for a market that we expect to face a major shake-up in a few years’ time.
According to the report, the number of travel eSIMs provisioned globally will pass 280 million in 2030, representing a fourfold increase from about 70 million in 2024.
Kester Mann, director of consumer and connectivity at CCS Insight and author of the report, commented: “Travel eSIMs are turning the traditional roaming market on its head. The influx of new players, a sharp fall in prices, and the move toward remote provisioning are changing the way people think about getting connected when they go away”.
The report predicts that the value of the travel eSIM market will surpass $4.4 billion in 2030, with tailwinds from growth in the number of international trips taken, the flood of new providers, higher ownership of eSIM-compatible smartphones, and greater familiarity with using eSIMs.
Mann urged mobile operators to carefully reassess their roaming strategy in response to recent developments, but warned their tactics shouldn’t be just defensive. “Travel eSIM offers fresh opportunities to target lapsed or non-users, expand into new countries, build better engagement with customers and diversify into new markets”, he stated. However, the analyst cautioned that “operators have a delicate path to navigate to avoid cannibalizing a long-term source of revenue”, adding that “each provider’s circumstances will be different”.
The research shows that customers in North America are the most likely to use a travel eSIM. This reflects the high adoption of eSIM-compatible iPhones in the US, including eSIM-only variants since 2022, which has pushed customers to embrace the technology faster than in other regions. Our forecast shows that 1.3 billion people worldwide already own a smartphone that supports eSIM, a figure we believe will exceed 3 billion by the end of the decade.
The Spotlight concludes that travel eSIM specialists will eventually lose their advantage as the market becomes saturated and commoditized, leaving them with far fewer opportunities to disrupt. At this point, it analyses a range of possible outcomes, including consolidation and diversification.
About CCS Insight
CCS Insight is a global analyst company providing valuable insights and analysis to navigate the complex technology landscape. It offers comprehensive services tailored to meet the individual needs of its clients, helping them make sense of the connected world and optimize their strategies. CCS Insight was recently acquired by FDM, a leading player in telecom pricing and market share insights which is backed by private equity firm Inflexion. Learn more at www.ccsinsight.com.
For further information contact: emma.bluck@ccsinsight.com