Having a foreign SIM card while traveling is incredibly useful. You gain access to internet traffic, calls, and SMS at local rates. However, to obtain such a SIM card, you typically need to arrive in the country.
Having a foreign SIM card while traveling is incredibly useful. You gain access to internet traffic, calls, and SMS at local rates. However, to obtain such a SIM card, you typically need to arrive in the country, find a point of sale, and pay in the local currency. But there's a way to buy a SIM card in advance using cryptocurrency.
Getting a Foreign eSIM
You can do this through the service CryptoRefills, which I've mentioned several times before. With CryptoRefills, you can purchase payment cards and gift certificates for various online services and stores using cryptocurrency. To register, all you need is a simple username-password combination, and ideally, a virtual location in the country where you want to make the purchase.
Important Note: The SIM cards from CryptoRefills are intended solely for internet traffic. You won't be able to receive calls or SMS on them.
To get a virtual SIM card, go to the appropriate section of the service — eSIM. On the page that opens, select the country where you need the SIM card.
There are numerous countries listed, and it appears to be a real list. I randomly clicked on several countries, including Afghanistan, and each had its own tariff plan available.
The tariffs differ in terms of data volume and subscription duration. Naturally, the cost also depends on the region. You'll also need to provide a phone number to receive some additional information. I used my Russian number, and there were no issues.
Once you've chosen your plan, just click the "Buy Now" button and proceed to payment.
On the next step, simply select the cryptocurrency payment option that suits you best. Almost any network and coin are supported, so choose according to your preference.
The only issue that might arise at this stage is if the purchase amount is below the minimum allowed for a particular cryptocurrency. For instance, I couldn't complete the purchase using USDT, but had no problems paying with BTC.
As an example, I purchased a Cypriot SIM card with 1GB of data for a week for just $1.86.
After successful payment, just like with regular eSIMs, you'll receive a QR code that you need to scan with your smartphone to activate the selected plan.
