Start here
How buying an eSIM with crypto works
From destination to QR code: pick a plan, pay its exact price in crypto with no minimum, then install the eSIM.
Quick answer
Where can I learn how to buy and use a travel eSIM with crypto?
eSIMwithCrypto publishes 16 guides for travelers who pay in crypto. They explain how to buy an eSIM with USDT or Bitcoin, how to pay with Solana, and what a payment really costs. They also cover how to install an eSIM on iPhone or Android, when to install it, which phones work, hotspot, 5G and the daily caps of unlimited plans. eSIMs start at $0.89.
Paying in crypto
USDT
Buy an eSIM with USDT
USDT on Tron (TRC-20) or Ethereum (ERC-20), at the same dollar price: about 1 minute on Tron, 5 on Ethereum. Pick the right network.
BTC
Buy an eSIM with Bitcoin
On-chain bitcoin only, credited after 2 confirmations. Lightning is not accepted.
SOL
Pay for an eSIM with Solana (SOL)
Native SOL on Solana, credited after 1 confirmation. USDC is accepted on Ethereum (ERC-20) only, not on Solana.
Fees
What a crypto payment really costs
The network fee you pay on top of the eSIM price, by coin and network.
Before you travel
Installation
Install a travel eSIM before or after landing?
Before, at home on Wi-Fi, then switch it on when you land. Install before you go to China or Turkey.
iPhone
How to install an eSIM on iPhone
QR code, manual entry or one-tap install on iOS 17.4 or later, then the line to choose for data and roaming.
Samsung · Pixel
How to install an eSIM on Android
The exact menus on Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel, QR code or activation code, and roaming on arrival.
SIM cards
eSIM vs physical SIM for travel
Which is better for a trip: setup, ID checks, dual SIM for bank codes. iPhone 17 models are eSIM-only in 12 markets.
Phones
Which phones support eSIM?
Check by model number: iPhone XS and later, Pixel 3a and later, Galaxy S20 and later, and the regional exceptions.
Locked phones
My phone is carrier-locked: will a travel eSIM work?
A locked phone can install a travel eSIM but will not connect with it. How to check the lock before you buy.
Plans and features
Unlimited
Is there a truly unlimited eSIM?
Daily caps of 9 sellers compared, from 2 to 5 GB per day at full speed. Ours: 2 GB per day at full speed, then reduced speed until the next day.
Hotspot
Which eSIMs allow hotspot?
Tethering rules of 15 sellers, from no limit to 500 MB per day. Ours are not published yet: ask support first.
Phone number
What is a data-only eSIM?
No number and no SMS: keep your usual SIM for calls and bank codes. Which sellers add a number.
5G
Does a travel eSIM get 5G?
Declared versus tested 5G on travel eSIMs.
Long trips
eSIM for digital nomads in Southeast Asia
Several countries, long stays and payment in USDT.
Which guide do I need?
| I want to… | Read |
|---|---|
| Follow an order from payment to QR code | How it works |
| Pay with USDT on Tron or Ethereum | Buy an eSIM with USDT |
| Pay with Bitcoin | Buy an eSIM with Bitcoin |
| Pay with SOL, or hold USDC on Solana | Pay for an eSIM with Solana (SOL) |
| Know the network fee before I pay | What a crypto payment really costs |
| Know when to install my eSIM | Install before or after landing? |
| Install the eSIM on my iPhone | How to install an eSIM on iPhone |
| Install the eSIM on Samsung or Pixel | How to install an eSIM on Android |
| Travel with a phone that has no SIM tray | eSIM vs physical SIM for travel |
| Check that my phone supports eSIM | eSIM-compatible phones |
| Use a phone bought from a carrier | Carrier-locked phones |
| Understand the daily cap of unlimited plans | Daily caps compared |
| Share my data with a laptop | Hotspot rules |
| Keep my number for bank codes | Data-only eSIM |
| Know whether I will get 5G | 5G on a travel eSIM |
| Stay several months in Southeast Asia | eSIM for digital nomads |
| Travel to China or Turkey | China eSIM and Turkey eSIM |
| Get a refund or check how credits work | Refunds and balance |
What do I need before I start?
Three things, and none of them is an ID document:
- A phone that supports eSIM and is unlocked. Dial
*#06#: an EID number means eSIM support. Details: compatible phones. - Crypto in one of six coins: Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Litecoin (LTC). USDT works on Tron (TRC-20) or Ethereum (ERC-20); USDC on Ethereum (ERC-20) only.
- The price of your plan, plus the network fee. At checkout, you pay the exact price of your order in crypto, with no minimum and no top-up. The sender pays the network fee, on top of the price.
Every plan and price is on the pricing page, in US dollars, the same in every coin. Monero is not accepted.
Guides: FAQ
Which guide should I read first?
Start with how it works if you have never bought an eSIM with crypto: it follows an order from the payment to the QR code. Then read when to install before your trip. If you hold USDT, the guide to buy an eSIM with USDT explains the network choice, TRC-20 or ERC-20, and the confirmations.
Are the prices in these guides up to date?
Our own prices are read from the live price grid each time the site is built. They match the pricing page: plans from $0.89 on October 9, 2026. Competitor figures are a dated snapshot, checked on October 9, 2026 on each seller's pages or on the esimdb.com aggregator. They may have changed since.
Who writes these guides?
eSIMwithCrypto writes every guide, and we sell the eSIMs that the guides mention. Competitor facts are dated and sourced on each page, and our own plans are marked in every comparison. We publish no paid reviews and no “independent” reviews of our own service. Corrections are dated in the changelog.
Do I need an ID to follow these guides?
No. eSIMwithCrypto asks for no ID, no selfie and no documents at checkout. Your account is a 16-digit account number created at payment, with no email needed. An email is optional, for receipts, reminders and account recovery. Local laws still apply in the country you visit: a local SIM often needs a passport, while a travel eSIM works in roaming. The country pages give the details.
Which cryptocurrencies can I pay with?
Six coins on seven coin-and-network options: Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Litecoin (LTC). USDT is accepted on Tron (TRC-20) or Ethereum (ERC-20), and USDC on Ethereum (ERC-20) only. Monero, Bitcoin Lightning, BNB Chain, Polygon, Base, Arbitrum and USDC on Solana are not accepted. Cards, PayPal and bank transfers are not accepted either.
Where do I get help if a guide does not answer my question?
Write to [email protected], or open a ticket in the client area. Email replies within 12 hours, 7 days a week, including help with installing and activating your eSIM. We never ask for your account number or your eSIM activation code (QR code) by email or chat. The FAQ answers 40 common questions on payments, plans, installation, countries, privacy and refunds.
Sources (5)
- esimdb aggregator: plan data and caps per seller (latest update 2026-10-09) — esimdb (checked 2026-10-09)
- Holafly reviews (hotspot quotas of standard plans) jetpacglobal.com/blog/holafly-reviews — Jetpac (2026-04-14)
- iPhone 17: eSIM-only markets — heise online (checked 2026-10-09)
- eSIM on iPhone and China mainland (support article 123879) — Apple (2026-09-09)
- Turkey blocks eSIM providers — bne IntelliNews (checked 2026-10-09)
Ready for your trip?
Data-only eSIMs for 202 destinations, from $0.89. Paid in crypto, no ID at checkout.