China eSIM
AsiaGet a China eSIM and connect the moment you land. Buy a prepaid data plan, scan the QR, and you are online in minutes, with no roaming bill and no local SIM to find. Pay in crypto with no ID to buy. Plans start at $1.99.
- Instant delivery to your dashboard
- Prepaid, no contract, no auto-charge
- Works on any eSIM-ready phone
- Paid in crypto, no card or ID to buy
China eSIM at a glance
Live prices, updated September 2026- Price
- From $1.99
- Data plans
- 1 GB to Unlimited
- Validity
- 7 to 30 days
- Networks
- China Mobile, China Unicom
- 5G
- Yes, where available
- Setup
- Scan a QR, ~2 min
- Payment
- Crypto
- ID to buy
- None
Choose your plan
Prices are in USD and payable in crypto. No contract and no auto-renewal, and any balance you do not use stays on your account for next time.
Turning on roaming can cost $10 or more a day. A whole China trip starts at $1.99.
See the plansWhy an eSIM for China
Here is the thing every China traveler needs to know: the Great Firewall blocks Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Gmail on a local Chinese SIM. A foreign travel eSIM is different, because it usually routes your data through a gateway outside China, so those apps often work as normal, no VPN needed. You land at Beijing or Shanghai already online, on your own apps.
You buy the data before you fly, pay from your crypto balance with no ID, and skip the passport-and-face registration a Chinese SIM now requires. It is still wise to set up a VPN as a backup, and to install WeChat, which runs daily life and payments here.
- Routes overseas, so Google, WhatsApp, and Maps often just work.
- Skips the passport-and-face registration a local SIM now needs.
- Connect on arrival at Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou.
- Pay in crypto with no ID, and keep your home number.
Is a China eSIM right for you?
Whoever you are travelling as, the setup is the same: buy, scan, connect. Here is what it means for you.
China eSIM vs a Chinese SIM vs roaming
In China the real question is not just coverage, it is whether your apps work. Here is how the options compare.
SimVala eSIM
- Google, WhatsApp, InstagramOften work (routes overseas)
- Passport and face registrationNone
- Ready before you flyYes
- Pay in cryptoYes
- VPN needed for blocked appsUsually not, keep as backup
- Typical cost, 1 weekA few dollars
Chinese tourist SIM
- Google, WhatsApp, InstagramBlocked by the Firewall
- Passport and face registrationRequired at the counter
- Ready before you flyNo, counter on arrival
- Pay in cryptoNo
- VPN needed for blocked appsYes
- Typical cost, 1 weekCheap, plus registration
Home roaming
- Google, WhatsApp, InstagramOften work
- Passport and face registrationNone
- Ready before you flyYes, but pricey
- Pay in cryptoNo
- VPN needed for blocked appsUsually not
- Typical cost, 1 weekOften 10+ dollars a day
Whether blocked apps work depends on the eSIM's routing and is not guaranteed, so keep a VPN as backup. WeChat is essential regardless. Costs are rough guides, not quotes.
Coverage and networks in China
Depending on the plan, your eSIM connects to a major Chinese network such as China Mobile, China Unicom, or China Telecom. Coverage across Beijing, Shanghai, and the cities is fast and dense. The key difference from a local SIM is that a roaming eSIM's data usually exits China through an overseas gateway, so blocked apps often work without a VPN.
Expect strong eSIM coverage in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, with data across the rest of China. Signal follows the local network, so it is strongest in cities and along main routes.
Your eSIM roams on a major local network:
Coverage by area
Fast, dense 4G and 5G across Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and the major cities, their metros, and main sights. This is where most of your data goes.
Good in the towns and along the popular routes like the Li River, Zhangjiajie, and the Wall, thinning on remote trails and back roads.
Signal thins in the far western and mountain regions like the Tibetan plateau and remote Xinjiang, and some areas have travel restrictions of their own.
How much data do you need in China?
Whether your China trip is 7 days, 2 weeks, or a month, pick the data size to match. Not sure? Slide your trip length below and we will suggest a plan.
China travel leans on maps, translation, WeChat for everything, and a stream of Wall and skyline photos to the cloud, plus video. For a one to two week trip, 5 to 10 GB suits most people. Add more if you stream or lean on translation apps all day.
Estimate your data for China
Social, photos, some video
An estimate to guide you, not a limit. Wi-Fi at your hotel covers a lot, and you can top up any time, so it is fine to start smaller.
Typical usage per hour
Using an eSIM in China's top cities
One China eSIM covers all of these. Here is what to expect, city by city.
eSIM in Beijing
Fast, dense coverage from Tiananmen and the Forbidden City to the hutongs and out to the Great Wall at Mutianyu and Badaling. Your eSIM keeps maps, translation, and, crucially, your own apps live as you cross the capital.
eSIM in Shanghai
Strong 5G across the Bund, Pudong, and the former French Concession. Handy for the metro, translation in the restaurants, and the overseas-routed data that keeps Google and your messaging apps working along the Huangpu.
eSIM in Guilin and Yangshuo
Good coverage in the towns and along the Li River cruise route through the karst peaks, thinning on the remote trails and back roads. Useful for cruise bookings, e-bike maps, and translation in the villages.
Yes, you can call and text in China
Your eSIM is internet. So every calling and messaging app works, just like at home. No new apps to learn, nothing to set up.
Message anyone
WeChat, WhatsApp, iMessage all run over your data.
Calling apps, know before you go
Internet calls are restricted here. See the note below for what works.
Need a real number?
A data eSIM has no number of its own. Add a virtual number for codes and a local line.
Calling apps in this country
Grab a China number before you fly
Get login codes and a real line to give out, all in your dashboard. Paid in crypto, no ID.
Pay for your China eSIM in crypto
This is where SimVala is different. There is no card and no ID to buy. Top up a balance with any of nine coins, then buy your China plan from it. Monero is accepted for the strongest privacy, and your QR lands in your dashboard the moment payment confirms.
Bitcoin
Monero
Ethereum
Tether
USD Coin
Solana
BNB
TRON
PolygonPay by QR in one scan
No card details, ever. Just scan and send.
- 1. Pick your coin and amountWe show a payment address and a QR code.
- 2. Scan and send from your walletThe quote holds for 15 minutes, no fee maths.
- 3. Balance ready, buy your planYour eSIM QR lands in your dashboard right away.
Set up your China eSIM in about two minutes
No SIM to pop out, nothing to post. It works the same on iPhone and Android. Here is all it takes.
- 1Buy your plan
Pick a plan above and pay from your crypto balance. A few taps and it is done.
- 2Open your QR code
The moment your order completes, your eSIM QR appears in your dashboard.
- 3Add the eSIM in Settings
iPhone: Settings, then Cellular, then Add eSIM. Android: Settings, then Network, then Add eSIM. Scan the QR.
- 4Turn it on and land online
Switch the line on when you land at Beijing or Shanghai, and you are online in seconds.
This is your eSIM QR. You scan it once, and your China line turns on. That is the whole install.
Will it work on your phone?
Most phones from the last few years support eSIM. Not sure? Scan your device in one tap.
Good to know
- •The Great Firewall blocks Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, and more on local networks. A roaming eSIM usually routes data overseas, so these often work without a VPN, though this depends on the plan and is not guaranteed, so set up a VPN as a backup before you fly.
- •Install and set up WeChat before you arrive. It runs messaging, and Alipay or WeChat Pay run nearly all payments, since cash and foreign cards are often not accepted.
- •A local Chinese SIM now requires passport and facial-recognition registration at the counter. An eSIM skips that entirely.
- •The eSIM carries data. Keep your home SIM active for calls and bank codes.
Popular in China
Why travellers choose SimVala
“The whole reason I chose this: Google Maps and WhatsApp worked in Beijing without a VPN, because the data routes overseas. A local SIM would have blocked them. Paid in USDT, no ID.”
“Gmail and Instagram worked fine most of the trip. I kept a VPN as backup like the page said and only needed it once. WeChat sorted all my payments. Coverage in Shanghai was excellent.”
“Skipped the passport-and-face SIM registration entirely. Online at Pudong in seconds, great across Shanghai and Guilin, crypto top-up quick. Kept my own number.”
Visiting more of Asia?
If China is one stop of a bigger trip, one regional plan covers the whole area on a single eSIM.
eSIM in China: FAQ
Does my phone support eSIM?+
Most phones from the last few years do, including recent iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, and Google Pixel models.
How do I pay?+
In crypto only: Bitcoin, Monero, USDT, USDC, Solana, and more.
When does my plan start?+
Your plan validity begins when you install and activate the eSIM, not when you buy it.
Will an eSIM work in China?+
Yes, as long as your phone supports eSIM and is carrier unlocked. The eSIM connects to a local network in China and gives you data the moment you arrive.
How much data do I need in China?+
It depends on what you do. Maps and messaging use very little, while video and hotspotting use much more. For a typical one to two week trip, 3 to 5 GB suits most travelers, and you can top up any time.
Can I keep my phone number in China?+
Yes. Your home number stays on your physical SIM for calls and codes, while the eSIM carries local data. Both work at once on a dual-SIM phone.
Can I buy my eSIM before I travel?+
Yes, and you should. Buy and install it before you fly, then switch the line on when you land in China. Your plan's days only start counting when you activate it, not when you buy.
Does the plan expire?+
Each plan runs for a set number of days once you activate it, shown on the plan. Any balance you have not spent stays on your account for your next trip, so nothing is wasted.
Can I use my eSIM as a personal hotspot?+
On most plans, yes, so you can share your connection with a laptop or a friend. Tethering uses more data, so pick a larger plan if you rely on it.
Will Google, WhatsApp, and Instagram work in China on this eSIM?+
Usually yes. Unlike a local Chinese SIM, which sits behind the Great Firewall, a roaming eSIM typically routes your data through a gateway outside China, so Google Maps, Gmail, WhatsApp, and Instagram often work as normal. It depends on the plan's routing and is not guaranteed, so set up a VPN as a backup before you fly.
Do I still need WeChat?+
Yes, absolutely. WeChat runs daily life in China, messaging and, through WeChat Pay or Alipay, nearly all payments, since cash and foreign cards are often not accepted. Install and set it up before you arrive, whatever eSIM you use.
Do I have to register a SIM in China?+
Not with an eSIM. A local Chinese SIM now requires passport and facial-recognition registration at the counter. A travel eSIM skips all of that and works the moment you land, paid in crypto with no ID.
Is there an unlimited data plan for China?+
Yes, an Unlimited 30-day plan, good for a longer trip or heavy use. Sized plans are the cheaper pick if you use less, and you can top up any time.
More for China
Ready for China?
Pay in crypto, scan the QR, and land connected. No card, no ID to buy. Set it up before you fly and you are online the second you arrive.