GSMA projects physical SIM cards decline by 2030 as eSIM momentum grows

This spread in eSIM technology has seen multiple Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) unveil their virtual SIM, enabling users get connected without needing their physical cards.

Global technology body, GSMA, has now revealed that the adoption of eSIM is on a high trajectory, at the top among other emerging trends in mobile technology innovation.

In its 2026 Mobile Economy report, the GSMA projects that eSIM-enabled smartphone connections will reach 2.5 billion globally by 2028. With a reduced reliance on physical cards, eSIM are projected to represent 42% of all SIM technologies by 2030.

In Kenya, local MNOs, including Airtel and Safaricom offer eSIM, which can be embedded on supportive devices.

GSMA notes that eSIM has so far been beneficial to frequent travellers, who no longer face the hardship of having to swap their physical SIM when out of their localities.

“Once confined to premium smartphones, eSIM is now standard in mid-range devices, wearables and a growing range of connected products, which is streamlining activation and reducing reliance on physical SIM cards,” GSMA said in its report launched on March 2, 2026.

The GSMA in 2025 had noted a slow uptake of eSIM, which it attributed to limited availability of compatible phones, less promotion by MNOs and hardship in migrating consumers from physical SIM to the virtual ones.

With a shift of focus now towards eSIM, manufacturers such as Apple and Google are introducing eSIM-only mobile devices, in a move to achieve full digital connectivity. This has seen the device manufacturers begin to remove the physical SIM trays on mobile devices.

The virtual SIMs have also improved mobile experiences as users can connect them to other mobile devices such as smart watches and smart glasses, creating a multi-device ecosystem.

On Monday, the GSMA opened the Mobile World Congress (MWC), one of the largest industry gatherings held annually in Barcelona, Spain. The event this year focuses on connectivity, AI and 5G/6G technologies in the mobile industry.

Here, GSMA Director General Vivek Badrinath urged industry stakeholders to “champion open collaboration across borders to secure networks, close digital gaps, and

strengthen trust in the digital economy.”

Badrinath noted that mobile contributed to $7.6 trillion to the global economy in 2025, urging for urgent actions towards harness AI responsibly and protect people from escalating digital threats.

Among the digital threats is cybercrime, which the GSMA report shows would cost the globe about $15.63 trillion by 2029.

The opening of the global summit at the Fira de Barcelona venue in Spain’s Catalonia region brought together technology industry leaders, policy makers and governments.