New York – October 06, 2026 -- Wise has launched a combined eSIM and cross-border QR code payment feature inside its app, aiming to eliminate the mobile data and payment struggles travelers face abroad.
Survey finds travelers hunting for free Wi-Fi in awkward ways
A Wise-commissioned YouGov survey of more than 14,000 travelers across eleven countries found that 62% of international travelers in the past year relied on hotel or accommodation Wi-Fi to stay connected. Away from their hotels, 24% admitted to buying something at a café they did not want just to access free Wi-Fi, 15% have stood outside a museum or attraction to use its Wi-Fi instead of going in, and 7% have asked a stranger to share their phone's personal hotspot.
Cash management was the most commonly reported payment problem abroad, cited by 43% of respondents. Among those who faced payment issues, nearly 40% said they missed out on local experiences such as street food markets.
Build-your-own eSIM plans let travelers set their own data and days
Wise's new eSIM lets customers in the UK, EEA, US, Canada, Brazil, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand build custom data plans rather than buy rigid pre-set roaming packages. Users install the eSIM once, then set the exact data allowance and number of days needed for each trip directly in the app. In-app guidelines help estimate data needs before departure, and Wise refunds any unused data if travel plans change. The eSIM activates only once connected to the supported network at the destination, and standard regional plans are also available across more than 150 destinations.
One app now connects QR payment systems across five continents
Wise has linked its app directly to local QR payment schemes including PayNow (Singapore), QR Ph (Philippines), DuitNow (Malaysia), Pix (Brazil), PromptPay (Thailand), Swiss QR-bill (Switzerland) and Qvik (Hungary), letting travelers pay like locals without separate e-wallet sign-ups.
Through a partnership with Alipay+, Ant International's unified wallet gateway, eligible Wise users can also scan and pay at Alipay+-enabled merchants in the Chinese mainland without needing a Chinese bank card or local mobile number. The partnership covers cross-border QR payments in more than 50 destinations, including Hong Kong, Nepal, Korea, Sri Lanka and Cambodia. Alipay+ is not available to Wise customers in the USA and Canada.
Wise Account adds lounge passes and group spending tools
The Wise Account has also added pay-as-you-go airport lounge passes, destination guides, multi-currency bill splitting and group spending features. Wise eSIM plans and QR payments became available in the Wise Account starting today. eSIM connectivity is provided by Gigs U.K. Ltd., with Wise Payments Limited acting as payment and administration facilitator.