At Retech Days Business Europe 2025 in Berlin, GSMA Senior Director of Industry Services Conor Dempsey presented a detailed strategy aimed at strengthening the secondary mobile device ecosystem through reliable data, enhanced transparency, and more effective fraud mitigation. His message centred on the reality that although the secondary market continues to grow at double-digit rates each year, sustained momentum depends on a dependable foundation of trust among buyers, sellers, and consumers. The event, organised by Dataxis, placed sustainability and market integrity at its core. Speakers examined how to unlock dormant device value and reduce theft in order to support more mature circular practices in Europe and beyond.
Unlocking value in unused devices
Dempsey highlighted the scale of unused devices currently sitting idle across households worldwide. An estimated 5 billion dormant smartphones remain outside the formal economy. Extending the use phase of all smartphones by one year could cut annual CO2 emissions by up to 21.4 million tonnes by 2030. Recycling even a single mobile phone conserves enough energy to power a laptop for more than 40 hours, while recovering critical materials such as lithium, cobalt, gold, and copper that are essential to future supply security. The environmental and economic incentives create a strong case for accelerating circularity. Yet the transition from unused device to reintroduced asset still faces notable obstacles.
Tackling theft and restoring confidence
The greatest barrier identified in the presentation relates to theft and fraud. Despite more than 300 million used and refurbished devices shipped last year, criminal activity continues to undermine both supply stability and consumer confidence. Roughly 1% of global subscriber smartphones are stolen each year, equating to over 80 million devices. In London, a mobile phone is reported stolen every six minutes. This disrupts device flows, increases operational risk, and weakens willingness among consumers to participate in sustainable trade-in or resale programs. Dempsey emphasised that a trustworthy market cannot develop without decisive action on theft-related vulnerabilities.
Data-driven infrastructure for a safer market
To address these challenges, GSMA presented its Device Information Services, a suite of tools aimed at improving certainty in device transactions. The organisation manages a dataset covering more than 8 billion devices and over 200,000 Type Allocation Codes. This infrastructure underpins valuation accuracy, supply chain assurance, and fraud prevention. Key systems include the GSMA Device Registry and Device Check, which allow businesses to verify whether a device is lost, stolen, fraudulent, or faulty. The Block List ecosystem, operating across six continents and supported by over 190 active accounts, currently blocks 170 million IMEIs to prevent stolen devices from being traded or reactivated. The Device Database supplies over 100 attributes per device, from technical specifications to network compatibility, enabling more consistent grading and insurance decisions. These tools collectively provide the transparency needed to accelerate the shift toward circularity.
Conclusion
GSMA delivered a clear message: circular growth relies on secure and transparent device markets. By leveraging reliable data, block list collaboration, and accurate verification systems, organisations can protect operational integrity while helping the industry prepare for the next phase of secondary market expansion.
Market
Trade-in
Repair
Refurbishing
