In a strategic move to strengthen its presence in the technology market, UK-based telecommunications giant Vodafone has announced plans to integrate crypto wallets with subscriber identity module (SIM) cards. This development promises to change the way users interact with cryptocurrencies through their mobile devices.
The company revealed that part of this initiative includes a collaboration with Vodafone Idea Ltd., a separate operation in India, where the Vodafone Group holds a 45% stake. This expansion plan is currently evaluating the management of debt approaching 3 billion dollars, including 1.8 billion in loans projected for the next two years.
David Palmer, blockchain lead at Vodafone, shared insights into the project in an interview with Yahoo Finance Future Focus, highlighting the potential of modern smartphones in the context of blockchain:
“By 2030 we expect more than 20 billion mobile phones to be in operation, many of them smartphones. … So we focus on linking the SIM card to digital identity, linking the SIM card to blockchains, and using the cryptos that we have on those SIM cards for that integration.”
Palmer also predicted that there will be approximately eight billion smartphones in use by 2030, with a significant increase in cryptocurrency wallets, reaching around 5.6 billion. This number represents almost 70% of the global population, demonstrating the immense reach and impact of this technology.
The Vodafone Group faces challenges, especially with the plight of Vodafone Idea Ltd. in India, which recently raised $2.2 billion in equity ahead of a scheme to increase debt by $3 billion. However, 2024 has been a year of big steps for the company, including a ten-year partnership with Microsoft focused on generative artificial intelligence (AI) services.
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Source: https://portalcripto.com.br/vodafone-lanca-integracao-de-carteiras-de-criptomoedas-em-cartoes-sim-de-celulares/
