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XOXO eSIM 2026: First-Half and Summer Summary
Added: 21.09.2026,
Updated: 21.09.2026,
Data from January 1 to August 25, 2026
The first months of 2026 confirmed that eSIM has become one of the essential elements of preparing for an international trip. From the beginning of January to August 25, more than 21,300 unique new eSIMs were generated at XOXO eSIM, with interest rising sharply as the summer holiday season began.
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2026 AT A GLANCE 21.3K unique new eSIMs | 11.4K during the summer through August 25 | 1,251 plan renewals |
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The strongest conclusion from this year’s data is simple: between July 1 and August 25, approximately 16% more new eSIMs were generated than during the entire first half of the year. In less than two months of the summer holiday season, the number of new profiles therefore exceeded the total generated during the previous six months.
The first half of the year in two stages
The first quarter had a distinctly winter and intercontinental character. European packages accounted for 28.4% of new eSIMs, while Egypt held an almost equally strong position with a 27.0% share. The next most popular options were China (11.6%), packages covering Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand (8.5%), and the United States (5.3%). Turkey accounted for just 1.9% of new profiles during this period.
In the second quarter, the market picture changed almost completely. The number of profiles generated was approximately 2.5 times higher than in the first three months of the year. European packages already accounted for 56.7% of new eSIMs, while Turkey increased its share to 17.1%. Egypt’s share fell to 9.1%, China’s to 7.8%, and the United States’ to 3.5%.
This shift does not mean that interest in travel outside Europe declined. Above all, it shows how strongly the structure of eSIM purchases responds to seasonality. In winter, customers were more likely to choose Egypt and Asia, while from April onward, shorter European trips and preparations for summer holidays began to play an increasingly important role.
From Egypt to Turkey – how the months changed
January belonged to Egypt, which accounted for 29.9% of new eSIMs. In February, European packages slightly overtook Egypt, while March saw a particularly noticeable increase in interest in China, with its share reaching 18.9%.
From April onward, there was a clear shift toward the summer season. Turkey moved into the top group, in May more than half of new profiles were European packages, and in June their share reached nearly 67%. July brought another change in the leading destination: Turkey overtook Europe, and during the first 25 days of August it already accounted for more than 55% of new eSIMs.
Turkey the clear leader of summer 2026
During the summer holiday period, Turkey accounted for 51.0% of new eSIMs. European packages ranked second with a 40.8% share. Together, these two groups represented nearly 92% of all new eSIM profiles generated during the summer.
Egypt (2.9%), China (1.9%), and the United States (1.4%) followed. It is worth remembering that European packages cover multiple countries. The data therefore shows the popularity of the regional offer, but does not make it possible to identify the specific country in which the customer ultimately used the internet.
Summer changed the scale of sales
Throughout the entire first half of the year, approximately 9.9K unique new eSIMs were generated. From July 1 to August 25, that number had already exceeded 11.4K. What is more, August – even though the data covers only the first 25 days – nearly matched the full month of July. The average daily rate of new profile generation in August was approximately 16% higher than a month earlier.
This is one of the strongest signs of seasonality in the history of XOXO eSIM. Customers are increasingly buying internet access shortly before departure, and the ability to receive an eSIM online allows them to prepare their phone even at the last minute – without waiting for delivery and without having to look for a local SIM card after arrival.
More data for a shorter trip
The summer holiday season brought not only a change in destinations but also a clear increase in interest in larger data packages. In the first half of the year, packages ranging from 20 to 50 GB accounted for a combined 23.3% of new eSIMs. During the summer holiday period, their share increased to 42.0%.
The most frequently chosen option remained 10 GB – 44.3% in the first half of the year and 41.9% during the summer. At the same time, the share of 20 GB packages increased from 12.2% to 23.5%, 30 GB packages from 7.6% to 12.9%, and 50 GB packages from 3.6% to 5.6%. Meanwhile, interest in the smallest options declined: the share of 5 GB packages fell from 18.6% to 11.3%, while 3 GB packages dropped from 11.1% to 3.6%.
In practice, this means that we want to use our phones more freely while on holiday. Maps, reservations, messaging apps, social media, uploading photos, and using a hotspot for other devices mean that just a few gigabytes are increasingly proving to be too small a data allowance.
Ten days became the summer holiday standard
The length of the selected packages also changed. In the first half of the year, 15-day options dominated with a 42.8% share, while 30-day packages accounted for 26.5%. The 10-day option represented 20.9% of new profiles at that time.
During the summer holiday period, these proportions reversed. 10-day packages reached a 49.8% share, 15-day packages 32.9%, and 30-day packages 14.0%. The popularity of Turkey and the options available for this destination had a significant impact on the result, so the data primarily reflects the structure of the selected offers rather than the exact length of all trips. However, the direction of the change is clear: customers chose larger data allowances for shorter periods.
Planning a trip around Europe? Buy an eSIM today!
Traditional data packages outperform Day Pass
In 2025, traditional data packages accounted for 97.3% of generated eSIMs. In 2026, their advantage increased even further: in the first half of the year, they accounted for 98.0% of new profiles, and during the summer holiday period for 99.0%. Across the entire analyzed period, their share was 98.6%.
Customers clearly prefer offers with a specific number of gigabytes available for use throughout the entire validity period. This model is easy to compare, allows users to match the package to the length of their trip, and does not require keeping track of a separate limit each day.
eSIM does not have to be a one-time solution
From the beginning of January to August 25, we also recorded 1,251 package renewals on existing eSIM cards. Most of them concerned European offers, Turkey, and China. A renewal allows users to continue using the same profile without having to install a new eSIM, provided that the specific offer supports top-ups.
This does not mean 1,251 returning customers, as one person may renew a package more than once. However, the data shows that eSIM is increasingly being used on subsequent trips.
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What has changed since 2025?
In the XOXO eSIM 2025 summary, European packages accounted for more than 36% of generated profiles, China for 14.8%, Turkey for 5.2%, and Egypt for 4.4%. From the beginning of 2026 to August 25, European packages accounted for 44.4%, Turkey for 33.4%, Egypt for 8.1%, and China for 5.1%.
This is not a like-for-like comparison: the 2025 data covers a full twelve months, while this year’s data ends on August 25. However, there is a clear shift toward Turkey and summer travel within Europe.
Internet access while traveling is becoming an obvious part of every trip
Data from the first eight months of 2026 shows that eSIM is no longer a technological novelty. For a growing number of travelers, it is a natural way to access maps, reservations, messaging apps, and online work without expensive roaming. The season brought three particularly clear trends: a summer surge, Turkey’s dominance, and a growing share of larger data packages selected for shorter trips.
Planning a trip? Choose a XOXO eSIM package tailored to your destination and the length of your trip, install the eSIM before departure, and use the internet once you connect to a network in your destination country.
Wondering how to install an eSIM? You can find the installation instructions here.
Methodological note
The analysis covers XOXO eSIM data from January 1 to August 25, 2026. New eSIMs were counted based on unique ICCID numbers; renewals were analyzed separately. The destination corresponds to the name of the purchased offer, which means that regional packages do not indicate the specific country of use. August includes the first 25 days.
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