The Americas region includes the global leader in the Holafly Global eSIM Index, the United States (#1), some of the world’s most advanced telecom operators and several markets where adoption remains in its earliest stages. At first glance, these differences might appear to reflect disparities in infrastructure or network quality.

America is quite divided particularly when comparing North America and Latin America; in the United States (#1) and Canada (#5), eSIM has already moved beyond the adoption phase and entered a period of optimisation. With eSIM-compatible device penetration reaching 80% in both markets, device compatibility is no longer a major concern, activation processes are increasingly digital and consumers have become familiar with managing connectivity through software rather than physical SIM cards. Across much of Latin America, however, operators have deployed the technology but adoption remains constrained by affordability, hardware availability and legacy activation processes.

The result is a region where eSIM is already a reality for some consumers while remaining out of reach for many others; so the next chapter of eSIM adoption in the Americas may depend less on network investment and more on closing the gap between technological availability and practical accessibility.

The eSIM-Only effect: How hardware (and big players) changed the market

The United States (#1) sits at the top of the global ranking, achieving a position that reflects more than operator readiness alone. The country’s leadership is closely linked to a decision made by Apple in 2022, when it removed the physical SIM tray from iPhones sold in the US market. Overnight, millions of consumers were pushed towards a fully digital mobile experience, accelerating adoption far beyond what operators alone could have achieved. With 80% device penetration and eight active operators supporting the technology, the United States has become the world’s benchmark for eSIM readiness.

Canada (#5) has followed a similar trajectory. High device penetration, widespread operator support and innovations such as push provisioning have helped create one of the most advanced eSIM ecosystems globally. Regulatory initiatives encouraging number portability have further reduced friction for consumers, reinforcing the country’s position among the world’s leading markets.

Together, these countries demonstrate an important lesson for the wider industry: the transition to eSIM is not always driven by telecom operators or regulators, and big players have a lot to say. In North America, the disappearance of the physical SIM card transformed eSIM from an optional feature into the default experience for millions of consumer

Latin America’s invisible ceiling

If North America demonstrates the power of hardware adoption, Latin America reveals the consequences of limited access to compatible devices. Mexico (#43) provides perhaps the clearest example. Despite being one of the region’s largest telecom markets, the country continues to face a significant adoption challenge because around 70% of smartphones currently in use do not support eSIM technology. The result is a structural barrier that operators alone cannot solve.

This challenge extends across much of Latin America. eSIM compatibility remains concentrated in premium smartphones, creating an affordability gap that slows adoption. While operators continue to invest in digital services and infrastructure, consumers cannot benefit from these advances if their devices are unable to support the technology. In this context, the eSIM debate becomes as much an economic issue as a telecommunications one.

The findings suggest that Latin America’s next phase of digital transformation may depend on something surprisingly simple: making compatible devices more accessible. Until eSIM support becomes standard across mid-range and entry-level smartphones, adoption will continue to face an invisible ceiling that no amount of network investment can fully overcome.

Chile’s scenario: When hardware isn’t enough

Chile (#38) presents one of the most interesting case studies in the Index, as the country boasts the highest eSIM device penetration rate in Latin America at 50%, significantly outperforming much larger regional markets. On paper, these figures suggest a country well positioned to become one of the continent’s leaders, but Chile ranks considerably lower than its hardware readiness alone would imply.

The explanation highlights that having compatible devices is only one part of the equation. Consumers also need activation processes, operator support and digital experiences that make the technology easy to use, demonstrating that hardware creates opportunity, but execution determines outcomes.

In many ways, Chile represents one of the most important lessons of the global eSIM market. The country has already solved the hardware challenge that continues to limit adoption elsewhere in Latin America, yet its position in the Index suggests that device availability alone does not guarantee success. The gap between technological readiness and real-world adoption reveals what could be described as a “latent potential gap”—the distance between what consumers are capable of doing and what the market actually enables them to do.

The country’s experience serves as a reminder that eSIM readiness cannot be measured through device availability alone. As markets mature, the quality of the user journey becomes increasingly important. Consumers may already have the technology in their pockets, but adoption accelerates only when the surrounding ecosystem is ready to support it.

For policymakers, operators and technology providers across Latin America, Chile offers a valuable case study. It demonstrates that the next phase of eSIM growth will not necessarily come from selling more compatible devices, but from reducing friction after consumers already own them. In the emerging digital economy, the onboarding journey may prove just as important as the technology itself.

The physical store

One of the most persistent barriers across Latin America is the continued reliance on physical retail channels for what is fundamentally a digital technology. Colombia (#33) and Bolivia (#46) illustrate this challenge particularly well as in both markets, operators have successfully deployed eSIM technology, but activation often requires customers to visit a physical store or complete procedures that undermine the convenience of digital provisioning.

A technology designed to eliminate physical distribution and enable instant activation can become a lengthy process when users are required to queue in retail stores simply to receive a QR code. In practice, this transforms a cloud-based service into a traditional telecom transaction, limiting many of the advantages that eSIM was designed to provide.

As consumers increasingly expect digital-first experiences, these legacy processes risk becoming a competitive disadvantage. The countries that simplify activation are likely to accelerate adoption far more quickly than those that continue to rely on physical channels.

Brazil: The Giant in Transition

Brazil (#22), as Latin America’s largest economy and one of its most important telecom markets, has the potential to influence adoption trends across the continent. Even though device penetration remains lower than in North America, operator readiness is considerably more advanced than in many neighbouring markets.

Vivo ranks among the world’s leading operators, while regulators continue to evaluate how travel eSIM services should be integrated into the broader ecosystem. These developments place Brazil at an important crossroads. The country has already established many of the foundations required for wider adoption, but the next phase will depend on how effectively operators, regulators and device manufacturers work together to reduce friction.

For this reason, Brazil may be one of the most important markets to watch in the coming years. Its scale alone means that any acceleration in adoption could have implications far beyond its own borders.

The travel eSIM opportunity

Ironically, many of the barriers slowing local adoption have created a major opportunity for global travel eSIM providers. Across Latin America, activation requirements, registration processes and onboarding complexity have encouraged travellers to seek alternatives before arriving at their destination. Rather than navigating local procedures, many consumers now choose to activate connectivity digitally before departure.

This shift is helping to fuel one of the fastest-growing segments of the mobile industry. Travel eSIM providers offer an experience that aligns closely with changing consumer expectations: immediate activation, transparent pricing and minimal bureaucracy. In markets where local processes remain complex, these advantages become even more valuable.

As international travel continues to recover and consumers become more comfortable managing connectivity through software, the travel eSIM segment is likely to play an increasingly important role in shaping adoption patterns across the Americas.

What Happens Next?

The Holafly Global eSIM Index reveals a region defined by contrasts; some countries have already entered the post-SIM era, where physical cards have become largely irrelevant and connectivity is managed entirely through software, while others remain constrained by affordability challenges, hardware limitations and activation processes that continue to depend on physical infrastructure.

The future of eSIM adoption in the Americas will not be determined by network quality alone, but by making compatible devices more accessible, removing friction from activation processes and ensuring that digital connectivity is not limited to premium smartphone users. In a region characterised by enormous diversity, the countries that succeed will be those that make eSIM available not just to the most connected consumers, but to everyone.

The Index ultimately suggests that the next digital divide in the Americas may not be between countries with good networks and those with poor ones. Instead, it could emerge between consumers who have access to the devices and digital experiences required to participate in the eSIM economy and those who do not. As hardware becomes more affordable and activation processes continue to evolve, the biggest opportunity for the region will be turning technological readiness into mass adoption.