Xiaomi to ship smartphones with a preinstalled crypto wallet

Starting next year, Xiaomi plans to ship most of its smartphones sold outside China and the United States with a preinstalled crypto wallet, Sei Wallet.

According to Gizmochina, the company has entered into a global partnership with Sei Labs as part of an effort to accelerate the adoption of blockchain technologies among mainstream users.

Sei Wallet runs on the Sei Layer 1 blockchain, which is designed for digital asset transactions. The app will allow users to make peer-to-peer payments, access decentralised services, and explore Web3 features without installing additional software.

In addition, Sei Labs plans to enable stablecoin payments at more than 20,000 Xiaomi retail stores. The rollout will begin in Hong Kong and several EU countries, with plans to allow customers to pay for Xiaomi devices using stablecoins such as USDC, settled via the Sei blockchain.

Xiaomi says the partnership could serve as many users’ first exposure to cryptocurrencies, particularly in markets where the brand has a strong presence, including India and Greece.

Industry observers remain sceptical. Gizmochina notes that Xiaomi has previously faced criticism for bundling preinstalled apps that many users rarely use. Although the company has scaled back this practice in recent years, some see the deal with Sei Labs as a return to an old strategy.