Travel eSIMs used to live in a familiar corner of the market: specialist apps, airport stress, and travelers trying to avoid the ugly surprise of non-EU roaming charges. That is changing. The next phase of travel connectivity is not only about who sells the best data package. It is about where the customer discovers it.

Increasingly, that place is the app they already trust with money.

Banks and fintechs are turning mobile data into a travel utility, sitting beside payments, cards, insurance, currency exchange and trip spending. Revolut already offers eSIM data in more than 100 countries, including monthly global data for Ultra users. Giesecke+Devrient has also described eSIMs as a way for fintechs to deepen their app ecosystems and create new revenue streams. KBC’s new collaboration with Firsty is the latest European signal.

What KBC is adding

KBC is adding mobile data for travel directly inside KBC Mobile. Customers can now buy and activate eSIM data for use abroad from the same app they already use for banking. The service is delivered through Firsty, the Dutch-Singaporean connectivity company founded in 2023 by two former Adyen engineers.

The use case is painfully familiar. Outside the EU roaming zone, travelers often choose between expensive roaming, airport Wi-Fi, a local SIM card, or downloading another eSIM app at the last minute. KBC and Firsty are trying to remove that extra step.

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Via KBC Mobile, travelers can buy a data package before departure, with day passes available from €2.5 and lower daily pricing when more days are purchased. The service is available in more than 180 countries, while KBC Brussels’ own FAQ describes availability in more than 185 countries and up to 5GB of fast data per day before slower-speed browsing continues.

The eSIM only needs to be installed once and can then be reused for future trips. For each new destination, customers activate a new package through KBC Mobile. That is the part that matters: less travel admin.

The super-app play

“The future lies in super-apps where different services come together seamlessly,” says Gauthier Thierens, cofounder of Firsty. “With this collaboration, we integrate mobile connectivity directly into KBC Mobile, allowing users to stay connected abroad through an app they already know and trust.”

That quote captures the bigger story. Banks want to become useful in everyday moments, not only when a card is blocked or a bill needs paying. Travel is a strong testing ground because so many needs cluster together: money, identity, insurance, fraud alerts, card controls, airport spending and now connectivity.

For Firsty, KBC offers distribution through a trusted financial app. For KBC, Firsty adds a small but sticky travel service at the exact moment customers are away from their normal routine.

“Our customers are mainly looking for convenience, especially when they are on the move,” says Karen Van De Woestyne, General Manager Transform and Ecospheres at KBC. “We respond to this by offering services that make their travel experience easier. Thanks to our collaboration with Firsty, customers can now also manage their mobile data directly via KBC Mobile. This way, KBC moves with you, even across borders.”

Why it matters

GSMA Intelligence has noted that consumer eSIM adoption has been slower than early expectations, with eSIM smartphone connections at only 3% globally in 2024 despite much higher awareness. The issue is not only availability. It is confidence. Many travelers still worry about compatibility, setup, roaming settings, activation timing, and whether they will accidentally lose access to their usual number.

Embedding eSIM into a bank app does not solve every concern, but it reduces the psychological distance. The customer is not being asked to trust a random connectivity brand found in a search result. The bank relationship does some of that trust work.

READ MORE: eSIM Revenue Models for Airlines, Banks and OTAs

This model will not suit everyone. Heavy data users may still prefer specialist eSIM providers, local SIMs, operator roaming passes or unlimited-style plans. Business travelers under managed mobility policies may need central reporting, support workflows and cost controls. But for city breaks, family trips and regular short-haul travel, convenience can beat endless comparison.

The next improvement area is transparency: high-speed limits, throttled speeds, hotspot rules, refunds, compatibility, support ownership and failed activation handling. KBC’s FAQ already covers useful basics, including one upfront trip price, local-network connection, hotspot sharing and setup steps.

Final thoughts about travel eSIM banking app

KBC and Firsty are not simply adding another feature to KBC Mobile. They are joining a larger redistribution of travel connectivity. Revolut, N26 and other fintech players have already shown that telecom can sit inside financial ecosystems, while specialist eSIM providers such as Airalo, Nomad eSIM, Ubigi and Roamless continue to compete on coverage, data models and traveler familiarity.

The real market shift is segmentation. Specialist eSIM apps will still attract people who compare plans carefully. Operators will keep serving customers who prefer bundled roaming. Banks will win the “I just need this solved before I fly” moment.

That is why this partnership matters. Connectivity is becoming less like a separate telecom purchase and more like a travel utility embedded wherever the customer already is. For banks, that is an opportunity. For eSIM providers, it is a distribution lesson. For travelers, it is one less tab open at the airport.