MoMo expands its travel app with eSIM in 200+ destinations
Vietnamese digital wallet MoMo has expanded its international travel tools around three connected services: travel eSIM packages advertised for more than 200 destinations, cross-border QR payments in more than 60 markets, and international flight booking across 56 airlines.
The August 18 announcement does not introduce MoMo's first travel eSIM. MoMo has sold Gohub-powered packages since 2024. The change is the wider travel journey now presented in one app, from booking a flight and arranging data before departure to paying at supported merchants abroad.
The traveler decision: MoMo is convenient for an eligible Vietnamese user who wants travel services and payment in one familiar app. Roaming eSIM has the edge when you want to compare country, regional and global data without depending on a MoMo account or treating a headline coverage count as a package guarantee.
What MoMo added to its international travel app
VnExpress reported the expansion on August 18. MoMo says its users can now access:
- travel eSIM service in more than 200 countries and territories;
- cross-border QR payments in more than 60 markets and at more than 100 million acceptance points; and
- flight booking linked to 56 international airlines, including Vietnam Airlines, AirAsia, Scoot and STARLUX Airlines.
These are separate services inside one app. Buying a flight does not mean a data package is included. Installing the eSIM does not make every merchant QR code compatible. A traveler still needs to select and pay for the relevant services, then follow their individual eligibility and usage rules.
MoMo's international travel hub positions the eSIM alongside flights, hotels and international payments. That can reduce app switching for a Vietnamese traveler, but it does not turn MoMo into the mobile network at the destination. The selected eSIM still connects through the package's supported partner network.
The eSIM service is older than the August announcement
MoMo and Gohub launched their travel eSIM partnership in January 2024, initially advertising more than 100 countries. MoMo's April 2026 installation guide says support has grown to more than 200 countries and territories.
That timeline matters because the current news is an expansion of MoMo's travel ecosystem and advertised destination reach, not a brand-new eSIM product. Travelers who already bought a MoMo eSIM should not assume the announcement changes their existing package, validity or network.
The service remains a separately selected travel-data product. MoMo says the QR code or manual activation details arrive by email or in the app after payment. The profile can then be installed before departure and used when it reaches the covered destination.
Check the actual destination instead of relying on 200+
MoMo's current pages do not use one consistent destination count. The page header and April setup guide say 200+ countries and territories, while older sections on the same sales page still say more than 105 countries. The older 2024 launch page says more than 100.
This looks like legacy copy that was not fully updated, but the public pages do not explain exactly when each destination was added. The safe purchase check is the destination and plan displayed in the app, not the largest number on a marketing page.
Before paying, save or screenshot:
- the exact country or regional coverage list;
- the data allowance and whether it resets daily;
- the validity period and what starts the clock;
- the available network and speed label;
- hotspot, calls, SMS and top-up terms; and
- any identity check or refund restriction.
Our country versus regional eSIM guide explains when a multi-country plan is worth comparing. A broad provider destination count does not prove that one purchased package covers every stop on an itinerary.
MoMo's setup rules require careful timing
MoMo's April 2026 installation guide recommends installing the eSIM 6 to 12 hours before departure over a stable internet connection. It says travelers receive a QR code and manual activation details through email or the app.
The same guide tells users not to turn on data roaming for the travel profile before landing because doing so can start its validity. That is MoMo's published instruction, but activation rules can vary across travel eSIM packages. Read the purchased package rather than applying one timing rule to every provider.
MoMo also warns that each profile can be installed only once and should not be deleted after installation. A phone reset, device change or accidental deletion may therefore need support rather than a second scan of the same code.
Use our installation timing guide and activation clock index to separate profile installation from package activation.
Compatibility, KYC and home-line settings still apply
The phone must support eSIM, be unlocked and allow the required number of active lines. A model name alone is not enough because regional and carrier variants can differ. Check the exact handset with our eSIM compatibility checker before buying.
MoMo says some destinations, including Taiwan and Hong Kong, require identity verification. This is another reason to open the exact package before departure. A digital purchase does not remove local registration rules.
Keeping a Vietnamese SIM active can help with bank or account verification messages, but it also leaves the home line able to connect abroad. Select the travel eSIM for cellular data, turn off cellular-data switching, and confirm roaming charges with the home carrier. A travel profile does not automatically block the other line from using a foreign network.
The practical answer depends on the phone and carrier, so do not assume incoming SMS, Wi-Fi Calling, voicemail or background traffic is free.
Calls, SMS, hotspot and top-up are package questions
MoMo's public sales page describes mobile data and also uses broader calling language in places. Its FAQ separately asks whether voice calls, hotspot use and data extensions are available, but the visible landing-page text does not establish one rule for every package.
Treat the selected product as data-only unless its card or terms explicitly include ordinary mobile calls or SMS. Messaging apps can work over data, but they are not the same as a local phone number. Read our calls and SMS guide if keeping a number matters.
Hotspot and top-up support also need package-level confirmation. Some networks or plans restrict tethering, and an expired or exhausted package is not necessarily rechargeable. The hotspot policy index and top-up index show the fields worth checking before purchase.
MoMo travel eSIM or Roaming eSIM?
MoMo offers a useful local advantage: a Vietnamese user can arrange data, payments and flights inside an app already used at home. Roaming eSIM is the stronger starting point when the traveler wants an independent package comparison that is not tied to a Vietnamese wallet or its payment eligibility.
| Traveler situation | Better starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible MoMo user who wants flights, payments and data in one app | MoMo | The services sit inside a familiar Vietnamese travel hub. |
| Traveler comparing several countries or regions before choosing a provider | Roaming eSIM | Country, regional and global catalogs can be compared directly by route. |
| Traveler who needs a local number, calls or SMS | Check the exact package | Neither the app name nor the word eSIM proves these services are included. |
| Traveler who may need hotspot or more data later | Check the exact package | Tethering and top-up eligibility vary by plan. |
| Traveler concerned about the 200+ and 105+ wording conflict | Verify the live destination listing | The purchasable package is more reliable than an older coverage sentence. |
🏆 Roaming eSIM wins on independent plan visibility: the live catalog shows each package's destination, allowance, validity, network-speed field, covered operators and top-up eligibility before checkout. The support center also publishes a 24/7 route, without requiring the traveler to bank, book or pay through a particular super-app.
The Roaming eSIM Vietnam endpoint returned current country packages when checked on August 21, alongside regional and global alternatives. Availability and prices can change, so use the live card for the trip rather than treating this dated check as a future quote.
Ten questions travelers are asking about the MoMo travel eSIM
Is MoMo's travel eSIM a new service?
No. MoMo and Gohub launched travel eSIM sales in 2024. The August 2026 news is the broader international travel bundle and the current claim of more than 200 supported destinations.
Does a MoMo flight booking include free eSIM data?
The announcement describes flight booking and eSIM as separate app services. It does not say every ticket includes a data package, so check the booking and eSIM checkout separately.
Does MoMo really cover more than 200 countries?
MoMo's current header and April guide make that claim, but older copy on the sales page still says more than 105. Confirm the actual destination and country list shown for the selected package before paying.
Can I install the MoMo eSIM before leaving Vietnam?
Yes. MoMo recommends installing it 6 to 12 hours before departure over stable internet. Follow the purchased package's activation instructions and do not enable roaming early when that can start the validity clock.
Can I reinstall the same QR code on another phone?
MoMo says each eSIM can be installed only once and should not be deleted after installation. Contact support before changing devices, resetting the phone or removing the profile.
Will the MoMo eSIM give me a phone number?
Do not assume so. Treat it as travel data unless the exact package explicitly lists a number, calls or SMS. Data-based calling apps can work without providing conventional mobile voice service.
Can I keep my Vietnamese SIM active for bank messages?
A compatible dual-SIM phone can keep both lines present. Select the travel profile for data, disable data switching and check the home carrier's charges for texts, calls, voicemail and background roaming.
Does every MoMo eSIM allow hotspot and top-up?
The public announcement does not establish one rule for every package. Check tethering and recharge terms on the selected plan before purchase.
Will I need identity verification?
Possibly. MoMo specifically says Taiwan and Hong Kong can require KYC. Other destinations may have their own registration rules, so complete any required check before relying on arrival connectivity.
When is Roaming eSIM a better fit than MoMo?
Start with Roaming eSIM when you want country, regional and global choices without relying on a Vietnamese wallet, or when package-level allowance, validity, speed, operator and top-up fields matter more than keeping several travel services in one app.
Sources and updates
MoMo's current sales page, April installation guide, international travel hub, 2024 Gohub launch and August 18 reporting were checked on August 21, 2026.
Before buying, ask MoMo to confirm the countries, supplier, eligibility, setup steps and any included flight benefit. Check voice and hotspot terms on the selected package.
