Demand for travel eSIMs is set to rise by a third this year, with analysts at FDM CCS Insight forecasting 134mn units globally, up from 101.8mn in 2025.

Consumers download eSIMs from players such as Airalo—which has raised close to $300mn from investors including CVC—and Saily, an operator owned by Nord Security, offering data packages that are typically cheaper than traditional roaming deals.

The trend poses a growing challenge to established mobile operators, who derive 3‑5% of their revenue from roaming, a higher‑margin income stream, according to analyst Joe Gardiner.

For example, a Revolut eSIM gives 1 GB of data for £3.49 over seven days, while EE—owned by BT—charges £8 for 500 MB in 24 hours.

Researchers at STL Partners estimate the travel eSIM market was worth £649mn in 2025 and could reach £3.2bn by 2030, fueled by the rise in eSIM‑compatible phones.

More than 326 handsets, including Apple’s iPhone line, accepted eSIMs in 2025, an increase of almost 50% on the previous year, per GSMA data.

Saily CEO Vykintas Maknickas said the market is moving from educating customers to converting them, accelerating the shift.

This proliferation adds to the challenges facing incumbent operators, who now also battle mobile virtual network operators that provide full services without building infrastructure.

The FT reported that the UK’s three mobile network operators lost the most customers in 2025, the worst year on record.

Hermann Frank of Gigs said eSIMs enable a full end‑to‑end digital telecoms service, giving these players a structural advantage.

As the landscape evolves, operators’ response—through innovation, pricing parity or improved service—will determine how much roaming revenue is at risk.

The travel eSIM market continues to grow, promising a disruptive shift in the mobile industry.