Sei & Xiaomi Partner to Preinstall Crypto Wallets on Smartphones

The partnership between Sei Labs and Xiaomi represents a significant strategic push to embed cryptocurrency directly into consumer hardware. According to the announcement, a “next-generation crypto wallet and discovery app” will come preinstalled on new Xiaomi smartphones sold outside the U.S. and mainland China. Sei Labs Co-Founder Jeff Feng described the deal as solving the “onboarding problem” for mainstream users by leveraging familiar Google and Xiaomi IDs for login, alongside providing “curated access” to decentralized applications (dapps).

The initial rollout will target regions with what Sei identifies as “established crypto adoption,” including Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. This phased approach allows the partnership to build momentum in markets where digital asset familiarity is higher before expanding further. The core thesis, as articulated by Sei Labs Co-Founder Jay Jog, is a shift “from a world where crypto is something you have to find, to one where it finds you,” directly integrating blockchain technology into the daily mobile experience of millions.

Beyond wallet installation, the partnership has a concrete financial roadmap. Sei and Xiaomi plan to “explore enabling stablecoin payments” across Xiaomi’s mobile ecosystem and its retail stores. The specific goal is to allow consumers to purchase Xiaomi products using Sei-native stablecoins, with USDC explicitly mentioned. This functionality is scheduled to launch in two major markets: Hong Kong and the European Union, by the second quarter of 2026.

This timeline positions the stablecoin payment feature as a medium-term pillar of Sei’s strategy to extend blockchain utility beyond “crypto-native audiences.” The focus on Hong Kong, with its evolving regulatory framework for digital assets, and the EU, with its comprehensive MiCA regulations, indicates a deliberate targeting of jurisdictions moving toward clearer crypto governance. Enabling direct purchases of consumer electronics represents a tangible use case that could drive both adoption of the Sei wallet and demand for its associated stablecoins.

While Sei has billed its collaboration with Xiaomi as “unprecedented in the blockchain industry,” the landscape of crypto-integrated smartphones has existing players. The precedent was set as early as 2019 when Samsung launched its Blockchain Keystore and Wallet on Galaxy devices, and HTC debuted its Exodus “blockchain phone.” More recently, layer-1 blockchain Solana has entered the hardware space directly, launching its Saga smartphone in 2023 and the Seeker model this year.

The Sei-Xiaomi deal differentiates itself through scale and partnership structure. Rather than creating a niche, blockchain-focused handset like Solana or HTC, Sei is leveraging Xiaomi’s massive, existing global distribution network for mainstream devices. This approach mirrors Samsung’s earlier software integration but with a more explicit focus on payments and retail utility. The success of this model will depend on whether preinstallation translates to active usage, a challenge faced by all preloaded software.