Smart Card Market Hits Maturity as eSIM and Payment Card Shifts Reshape Industry Dynamics — Allied Business Intelligence, Inc.

Event summary

Global smart card shipments totaled 8.32 billion in 2025, with modest growth to 8.46 billion expected by 2030.
eSIM device shipments accounted for 12.8% of total SIM card shipments in 2025, rising to nearly 27% by 2030.
EMV payment card shipments fell 3.5% year-over-year in 2025 due to elevated inventory levels and reissuance strategies.
Government ID smart card shipments climbed 5% year-over-year in 2025, reaching 650 million units.
NXP, STMicroelectronics, Infineon, and Samsung held a combined 74% market share in secure IC revenue in 1H 2025.

The big picture

The smart card market is transitioning from broad-based expansion to a focus on structural adaptation, driven by the rise of eSIM technology and shifting payment card issuance models. Vendors must now prioritize higher-value opportunities and manage transition risks to protect margins. The secure IC market is consolidating around a few key players, reflecting the increasing importance of scale and portfolio breadth in supporting both traditional and embedded security deployments.

What we're watching

eSIM Adoption: How the transition from removable SIM to eSIM will impact traditional smart card vendors and their strategies.
Payment Card Dynamics: Whether extended expiry periods and reissuance strategies will sustainably reduce EMV payment card shipments.
Secure IC Market: The pace at which embedded secure ICs gain market share and how traditional smart card IC demand will be affected.