Western Union Connects Digital Wallets to eSIM Mobile Service

eSIM company eSIM Go has added Western Union’s digital wallets to its mobile data service.

The integration, announced Wednesday (March 27), offers coverage in more than 150 countries via eSIM Go’s “Powered by Breeze” offering.

“Equipping digital wallet customers with global connectivity possibilities serves the dual purpose of traveling with ease and optimizing access to digital banking services from anywhere,” the company said in a news release provided to PYMNTS. 

“Western Union eSIMs give customers hassle-free access to wallet-friendly data roaming, either to use on their next foreign trip or to effortlessly send to family and friends living abroad.”  

According to the release, Western Union digital wallet customers Germany, Italy, Poland and Romania can access the solution from their digital banking app and transact in their chosen language and currency.

eSIMs — electronic versions of a mobile phone’s SIM card — can be purchased up to 12 months before activation in various-sized bundles and installed on any eSIM-compatible device. 

“Once purchased, topping up or adding coverage in extra countries is easy on the same eSIM profile, enabling customers to move money and engage in Western Union services while traveling,” the company said.

The launch is happening at a time when — as PYMNTS CEO Karen Webster wrote earlier this month — digital wallets are becoming how consumers “want to manage the everyday transactional parts of their lives — how they pay, who they pay, how much they spend and how much they have left to spend.”

It’s part of the reason so many people seem drawn to the concept of an everyday app, with research by PYMNTS Intelligence showing that three out of every four consumers express a desire for the convenience and simplicity of that sort of tool.

Earlier this month, Western Union expanded its partnership with Visa with a new agreement focused on cross-border payments, allowing Western Union customers to send money to loved ones, Visa cards and bank accounts in 40 countries. 

The company also recently released earnings showing its branded digital transactions up 13%. The Western Union digital app is now available in 12 countries, with more than 200,000 customers onboarded to the company’s digital wallet in Europe, and another 50,000-plus users in Argentina.