Trust and Adoption Intention of eSIM as a Digital Identity: The Role of Regulatory Perception and Data Security in Indonesia

The adoption of Embedded Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) technology in Indonesia remains relatively low despite the country’s high telecommunications penetration and digital transformation. Previous studies have mainly focused on technical security and marketing perspectives, with limited attention to the integrated role of perceived regulatory assurance, perceived data security, and trust in influencing eSIM adoption intention. Therefore, this study aims to examine the influence of perceived regulatory assurance and perceived data security on behavioral intention to adopt eSIM through trust in the operator. This research extends the Technology Acceptance Model by incorporating trust and security-related factors in the context of eSIM as a digital identity. Using a quantitative approach with purposive sampling, the sample size was determined using the modified Roscoe rule, and the data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that perceived regulatory assurance and perceived data security significantly influence trust in the operator, while trust in the operator significantly affects behavioral intention to adopt eSIM. Furthermore, trust in the operator mediates the relationship between perceived regulatory assurance, perceived data security, and behavioral intention. In addition, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use significantly influence behavioral intention. The study highlights the importance of trust, regulatory support, and data security in encouraging eSIM adoption in Indonesia.