Under the agreement, BBVA customers in Italy can purchase and activate an eSIM within the bank’s app and use it to access mobile data abroad. This replaces the need to pay roaming fees, rely on third-party applications, or buy a physical SIM card.
US-based Gigs, an embedded connectivity provider, powers the service, and the solution is expected to debut in Italy, with the possibility of being extended progressively to other markets.
How the service works
The eSIM is aimed at customers who travel abroad and need a fully digital way to access mobile data. It needs to be installed only once and can then be reused to purchase new plans for future trips, so customers do not have to reinstall it for each journey.
The full process takes place within the BBVA app. Customers select their destination and data allowance, activate the eSIM, and switch it on upon arrival to connect to a local network. From the same interface, users can track data consumption, check how long their plan remains valid, receive usage alerts, purchase additional data, and contact technical support.
At launch, the service is available to individual customers who reside in Italy, are over 18, hold a BBVA online current account, and use a device that supports eSIM technology.
Part of a wider travel proposition
The eSIM joins a set of travel-related features that BBVA already offers in Italy. These include the ‘MyTrips’ tool, which helps customers plan trips, budget, and categorise travel expenses. BBVA debit card holders also pay 0% FX fees on payments abroad. Customers can make free cash withdrawals of EUR 100 or more across the eurozone, including unlimited free withdrawals at BBVA ATMs in Spain. In addition, the bank also provides payment flexibility and instalment options through ‘Pay&Plan’, alongside 4% interest on account balances and 4% cashback on purchases.
Walter Rizzi, Head of Digital Banking at BBVA in Italy, said the eSIM is intended to give customers access to an essential service when travelling, in a fully digital format, while adding mobile connectivity to the bank’s range of solutions beyond financial services. Furthermore, Hermann Frank, co-founder and CEO of Gigs, noted that travellers want to manage the essentials of a trip in one place. Embedding connectivity, the representative said, lets BBVA customers budget, pay, split expenses, and stay connected abroad from a single app.
Banking beyond financial services
The launch marks BBVA’s entry into the connectivity space. The bank describes this as a new category of services with the potential to grow and to support customers both while travelling and in their daily lives. The initiative forms part of BBVA’s plan to expand beyond financial services by bringing banking, payments, and connectivity together within one digital environment.
The arrangement also reflects a model in which the bank keeps the customer interface while a specialist provider supplies the underlying connectivity. According to BBVA, integrating these types of services into the app allows it to offer a more proactive and personalised experience. Pairing the eSIM with existing benefits such as fee-free FX payments abroad places mobile data alongside spending and budgeting tools in the bank’s travel offering.
