Wise launches eSIM & QR payments for New Zealanders

Wise has launched travel eSIM and QR code payment features for customers in New Zealand. The additions are now available in the Wise app for account holders in the country.

The update adds customisable mobile data plans covering more than 150 destinations, as well as support for local QR code payments in markets including China, Singapore and Thailand. Users can choose their data allowance and trip duration in the app, and can receive refunds for verified unused data bought for a trip.

Wise is also expanding its app beyond card-based travel spending by adding access to domestic QR payment networks commonly used in shops and other everyday settings. These include PayNow in Singapore, QR Ph in the Philippines, DuitNow in Malaysia, PromptPay in Thailand, Pix in Brazil, Swiss QR-bill in Switzerland and Qvik in Hungary.

Through an integration with the Alipay+ network, eligible Wise users can also scan and pay with local merchants in mainland China through the app. Coverage through the same network also extends to Hong Kong, Nepal, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Cambodia.

Travel habits

The launch comes with new Wise research on how New Zealand travellers manage mobile connectivity overseas. It found that 26% of respondents had been caught out by high roaming charges while abroad.

Despite the spread of eSIM-compatible phones, the survey suggests many New Zealanders still rely on other arrangements when travelling. Some 33% buy a local SIM after arriving, 32% use a data package from their domestic mobile provider and 19% go without mobile data entirely while overseas.

Wise said its new eSIM offer is intended to address concerns about fixed plans and excess data purchases. Travellers install an eSIM profile once, then set the number of days and amount of data they want for each trip.

For QR payments, the focus is on destinations where local digital payment systems dominate smaller in-person transactions. In such markets, international travellers can face limits if foreign bank cards are not widely accepted outside hotels, airports and larger retail locations.

Alex Lombardo, New Zealand country manager at Wise, said: "We've all had that exact moment of panic when you step off a plane in a new country, your phone has no signal, you can't look up directions, and you realise the local taxi or coffee shop doesn't accept your card. It instantly makes you feel isolated and locked out of the local economy.

"By launching fully customisable eSIMs alongside an unmatched global QR scanner, we are fixing that exact arrival anxiety while protecting travellers from unexpected charges, whether that's bill shock from roaming or hidden foreign transaction fees.

"But true peace of mind is about more than just eliminating surprise costs with data and digital payments; it's about the entire travel experience. By bringing those features together with a built-in global ATM finder to avoid bad fee-heavy ATMs when you do need cash, pay-as-you-go lounge access, and instant multi-currency group bill-splitting, the Wise account is now a holistic toolkit for effortless exploration."

Broader push

The additions place telecoms access and local payment tools alongside existing travel-related functions in the Wise account. These include airport lounge passes, an ATM locator map, group spending tools and multi-currency bill splitting.

Wise described the QR code function as a single point of access to several regional schemes across five continents. That reflects a wider shift in travel payments, with day-to-day spending in some markets increasingly dependent on domestic payment rails rather than international card networks.

For New Zealand travellers, the update gives Wise a larger role in trip planning and in-country spending by combining foreign exchange, payments and mobile data in the same app. The eSIM plans and QR payments are now available to Wise account holders in New Zealand.