Xiaomi is pre-installing crypto apps on new phones, whether you want it or not
Xiaomi has quietly signed a deal to preinstall new apps (bloatware) on its smartphones. Starting in 2026, the company will begin shipping new phones with a crypto wallet and discovery app developed by Sei Labs, as part of a new global partnership focused on pushing blockchain technology to more people.
The app is tied to Sei, a Layer 1 blockchain designed specifically for digital asset trading. It will come pre-installed on all new Xiaomi phones sold outside mainland China and the United States. And that is a lot of devices.
Xiaomi is currently the world’s third-largest smartphone brand after Apple and Samsung, covering more than 13 percent global market share. In numbers, that is around 160 million devices.

The Sei app works as a crypto wallet and a gateway to Web3 services. According to Sei, users will be able to send peer-to-peer payments, interact with decentralized applications, and explore other blockchain-based products without downloading anything extra.
Sei is also planning to expand this partnership beyond smartphones. The company says it wants to enable stablecoin payments across Xiaomi’s 20,000-plus retail stores, starting with Hong Kong and parts of the European Union. This will eventually allow customers to buy Xiaomi products using stablecoins like USDC, with transactions settled on the Sei blockchain.
It’s just another bloatware
In a press release shared with CoinDesk, Sei says the deal could introduce crypto to millions of people, especially in markets where Xiaomi has a dominating presence.
For instance, the company holds 36.9 percent of the smartphone market in Greece, and around 24 percent in India.
However, for users, this is just another bloatware.
Preinstalled apps have long been a sore point for Xiaomi phones. The situation was particularly bad a few years ago, as the phones came loaded with apps most people never asked for.
Xiaomi has since tried to be more transparent and has made some improvements, but this partnership feels like a step backward. Installing crypto apps by default that most users are not aware of or won’t use is not right.
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