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T-Mobile Bought Mint Mobile in 2024: What Ryan Reynolds’ Sale Means for Customers

T-Mobile owns Mint Mobile, but the acquisition closed on May 1, 2024—not recently. Here’s what T-Mobile bought, Ryan Reynolds’ role and what Mint customers should check now.
From TheFinanceBase Team5 min to read
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Yes—but not recently. T-Mobile completed its acquisition of Mint Mobile’s parent, Ka’ena Corporation, on May 1, 2024. “Just completed” is outdated in 2026. Mint remains a separate prepaid brand, while T-Mobile owns the business.

What T-Mobile actually bought

The legal transaction was T-Mobile’s purchase of 100% of Ka’ena Corporation’s outstanding equity. Ka’ena’s subsidiaries included Mint Mobile, Ultra Mobile and related prepaid-wireless and wholesale operations. T-Mobile’s filings identify May 1, 2024, as the acquisition date and say Ka’ena became a wholly owned T-Mobile subsidiary.

This was therefore broader than buying a celebrity-backed consumer brand. The FCC described the transaction as a transfer of control involving Ka’ena and its wireless operations. FCC transfer-of-control document

When the deal was announced and closed

Date Event
March 9, 2023 T-Mobile entered the agreement to acquire Ka’ena and its subsidiaries. T-Mobile 2023 Form 10-K
March 15, 2023 T-Mobile publicly announced the proposed acquisition for up to $1.35 billion. Announcement
May 1, 2024 The acquisition closed and Ka’ena became wholly owned by T-Mobile. T-Mobile 2024 Form 10-K

An article published on August 18, 2026, or later should use the exact closing date rather than describing the deal as newly completed.

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#1 Best Overall
$30/mo. Mint Mobile Phone Plan with Unlimited Talk, Text & Data for 3 Months (3-in-1 SIM Card)
  • WHAT YOU GET: Three (3) months of unlimited talk, text, and data delivered on the nation's largest 5G network. Data speeds may slow after 50GB when network is busy but data is unlimited. Videos stream at 480p.
  • OH, YOU GET THIS TOO: 5G for Free + free mobile hotspot + Wi-Fi calling and text + free international calls to Mexico and Canada
  • HOW YOU GET IT: The SIM Kit comes with a 3-in-1 SIM card that includes standard/micro/nano sizes, insert the SIM into your device, and activate on the Mint Mobile website or app. You can activate service on your own unlocked device with our Bring Your Own Phone (BYOP) program. Check your coverage and phone compatibility on the Mint Mobile website.
  • WHO SHOULD GET IT: Anyone who hates their phone bill
  • WHY YOU SHOULD GET IT: Mint Mobile took what’s wrong with wireless and made it right. We re-imagined the wireless shopping experience and made it easy and online.

What happened to Ryan Reynolds?

Ryan Reynolds was a prominent Mint investor, owner and spokesperson who helped make the brand’s advertising distinctive. He was not the sole owner of the entire MVNO. Mint was part of the broader Ka’ena corporate group, which had other investors and businesses.

His prior equity interest was part of the sale, but the public transaction documents do not establish a definitive amount Reynolds personally received. It is more accurate to say he was a prominent part-owner affected by the sale than that T-Mobile bought “Ryan Reynolds’ company.” Mint’s own acquisition announcement describes his connection to the brand: Mint’s announcement. Background reporting is available from the Associated Press.

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  • We recently increased high-speed data allotments on every plan (but kept the same low pricing)! You may see a 5GB sticker on the front of your 6GB SIM Kit, rest assured your plan will have all 6GB of data loaded each month.
  • WHAT YOU GET: Three (3) months of unlimited talk and text + 6GB of 5G-4G LTE data each month delivered on the nation's largest 5G network.
  • OH, YOU GET THIS TOO: 5G for Free + free mobile hotspot + Wi-Fi calling and text + free international calls to Mexico and Canada
  • HOW YOU GET IT: The SIM Kit comes with a 3-in-1 SIM card that includes standard/micro/nano sizes, insert the SIM into your device, and activate on the Mint Mobile website or app. You can activate service on your own unlocked device with our Bring Your Own Phone (BYOP) program. Check your coverage and phone compatibility on the Mint Mobile website.
  • WHO SHOULD GET IT: Anyone who hates their phone bill

How much did T-Mobile pay?

T-Mobile announced a maximum purchase price of up to $1.35 billion, not a guaranteed cash payment of exactly that amount. The consideration was structured primarily as cash and T-Mobile stock, with performance-related elements.

At closing Amount and qualification
Cash $420 million
T-Mobile shares 3,264,952 shares valued at approximately $536 million using T-Mobile’s April 30, 2024 closing price
Upfront fair value Approximately $956 million in cash and stock, before any additional performance-related consideration

The closing figures come from T-Mobile’s filing: 2024 Form 10-K. The original deal terms and maximum value are described in the 2023 Form 10-K and the announcement.

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Rank #3
$20/mo. Mint Mobile Phone Plan with 17GB of 5G-4G LTE Data + Unlimited Talk & Text for 3 Months (3-in-1 SIM Card)
  • We recently increased high-speed data allotments on every plan (but kept the same low pricing)! You may see a 15GB sticker on the front of your 17GB SIM Kit, rest assured your plan will have all 17GB of data loaded each month.
  • WHAT YOU GET: Three (3) months of unlimited talk and text + 17GB of 5G-4G LTE data each month delivered on the nation's largest 5G network.
  • OH, YOU GET THIS TOO: 5G for Free + free mobile hotspot + Wi-Fi calling and text + free international calls to Mexico and Canada
  • HOW YOU GET IT: The SIM Kit comes with a 3-in-1 SIM card that includes standard/micro/nano sizes, insert the SIM into your device, and activate on the Mint Mobile website or app. You can activate service on your own unlocked device with our Bring Your Own Phone (BYOP) program. Check your coverage and phone compatibility on the Mint Mobile website.
  • WHO SHOULD GET IT: Anyone who hates their phone bill

Did Mint become T-Mobile?

No. T-Mobile owns Mint, but Mint did not disappear or automatically become a standard T-Mobile postpaid plan. T-Mobile’s closing announcement said Mint and Ultra Mobile would continue as brands and operate autonomously while being aligned with T-Mobile’s broader business.

  • Ownership: T-Mobile owns the business through Ka’ena.
  • Brand: Mint remains Mint Mobile.
  • Service model: Mint remains a prepaid, direct-to-consumer wireless service.
  • Network: Mint operates on T-Mobile’s network, as it did before the acquisition.
  • Accounts: Existing Mint customers were not required to migrate automatically to ordinary T-Mobile postpaid service.

See T-Mobile’s closing announcement for the company’s stated brand and customer plans: T-Mobile closes Mint and Ultra acquisition.

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$25/mo. Mint Mobile Phone Plan with 23GB of 5G-4G LTE Data + Unlimited Talk & Text for 3 Months (3-in-1 SIM Card)
  • We recently increased high-speed data allotments on every plan (but kept the same low pricing)! You may see a 20GB sticker on the front of your 23GB SIM Kit, rest assured your plan will have all 23GB of data loaded each month.
  • WHAT YOU GET: Three (3) months of unlimited talk and text + 23GB of 5G-4G LTE data each month delivered on the nation's largest 5G network.
  • OH, YOU GET THIS TOO: 5G for Free + free mobile hotspot + Wi-Fi calling and text + free international calls to Mexico and Canada
  • HOW YOU GET IT: The SIM Kit comes with a 3-in-1 SIM card that includes standard/micro/nano sizes, insert the SIM into your device, and activate on the Mint Mobile website or app. You can activate service on your own unlocked device with our Bring Your Own Phone (BYOP) program. Check your coverage and phone compatibility on the Mint Mobile website.
  • WHO SHOULD GET IT: Anyone who hates their phone bill

What changed for Mint customers?

Announced benefits

At closing, T-Mobile said it would maintain Mint’s value positioning and pursue several customer benefits:

  • Continued availability of a $15-per-month Mint plan for new and existing customers during the announced promotional period.
  • More device inventory and purchasing scale.
  • Planned scam-call identification and blocking features associated with T-Mobile’s Scam Shield tools.
  • Planned Canada roaming benefits, including talk, text and a specified amount of high-speed data.

Those were 2024 commitments, not permanent guarantees. Eligibility, allowances and prices can change, so check current terms before relying on a launch announcement.

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  • NO CONTRACTS: Prepaid wireless with no annual contracts, no credit checks, and no hidden fees.

What customers generally did not have to do

  • You did not have to switch automatically to a conventional T-Mobile postpaid account.
  • You did not lose Mint’s prepaid brand simply because ownership changed.
  • You did not gain every T-Mobile postpaid promotion, device-financing option or bundled perk automatically.
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Mint’s current plan structure

The official Mint plans page checked in August 2026 showed three-, six- and 12-month terms, with displayed data tiers of 6GB, 17GB, 23GB and Unlimited. Prices were shown from $15 per month depending on the term and offer, with payment required upfront and taxes and fees added.

Displayed offer Introductory price Regular price shown after the offer
6GB, six months $15/month $20/month
17GB, six months $15/month $25/month
23GB, six months $15/month $35/month
Unlimited, six months $15/month $35/month
Unlimited, 12 months $15/month $30/month

These are date-sensitive signals from Mint’s official Broadband Facts disclosures, not permanent prices. The live page is the authority: Mint plans.

  • Unlimited customers using more than 50GB in a billing cycle may experience reduced speeds for the rest of that cycle in certain congested locations.
  • The displayed offer included up to 20GB of hotspot data.
  • Video streaming was generally limited to standard-definition quality under the displayed terms.
  • Introductory pricing can renew at a higher regular price.
  • “Unlimited” does not mean unlimited hotspot data or unlimited priority during congestion.

What “MVNO” means in this deal

An MVNO, or mobile virtual network operator, sells service under its own brand while using another carrier’s network. Mint used T-Mobile’s network before T-Mobile purchased it and continues to do so. The unusual part is the ownership relationship: the network operator now owns the prepaid brand, while Mint still presents a separate customer-facing product.

Why T-Mobile wanted Mint

T-Mobile said the acquisition would add a strong digital, direct-to-consumer marketing model, expand its value-oriented prepaid portfolio and let it use purchasing scale, supplier relationships, distribution and device inventory to grow the brands. Management also positioned Mint as a way to reach budget-conscious customers without forcing every customer into the flagship T-Mobile brand. Those are the companies’ stated strategic reasons, not an independent guarantee of future performance. Original announcement.

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Should you use Mint?

Mint may fit if you:

  • Want a low advertised monthly price.
  • Can pay several months in advance.
  • Have a compatible, unlocked phone.
  • Use moderate data and limited hotspot service.
  • Prefer digital-first prepaid service.

Another carrier may fit better if you:

  • Need extensive premium data priority or routinely exceed 50GB in congested areas.
  • Want ordinary monthly postpaid billing rather than prepaid term payments.
  • Need device financing, smartwatch service, family-account tools or bundled entertainment.
  • Rely heavily on international roaming.
  • Live somewhere T-Mobile coverage is weak or congested.

Check before switching

  1. Verify local coverage at your ZIP code.
  2. Confirm your phone is unlocked, compatible and, for digital activation, supports eSIM if needed.
  3. Compare the full upfront payment with the renewal price—not only the introductory monthly figure.
  4. Check hotspot, video, congestion-management and international terms.
  5. Add taxes and fees to the advertised price.
  6. Confirm that the prepaid payment structure suits your budget.

Alternatives to consider

These are comparison candidates, not price recommendations; their current rates and terms should be checked directly.

Quick Recap

  • Metro by T-Mobile for a more traditional T-Mobile prepaid experience.
  • Visible for Verizon-network prepaid service with digital-first support.
  • US Mobile for flexible prepaid options and multi-network choices.
  • T-Mobile postpaid for financing, family features and postpaid perks.
  • Connect by T-Mobile for a lower-cost prepaid offering with more limited data allowances.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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