VPN usage increased massively around the world in 2025, according to Proton VPN’s 2025 year-end report.
The report found that last year, 62 countries experienced spikes in the use of one of the best VPNs. These peaks reached up to 35,000% above the previous benchmark index.
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The findings
“Populations under repression are becoming faster and more adept at circumventing restrictive measures,” David Peterson, CEO of ProtonVPN, told TechRadar.
In fact, the report shows that in many countries, sudden spikes in VPN activity were aimed at bypassing blocks introduced to control access to information.
When the general election in Tanzania in October led to the suspension of internet access, ProtonVPN subscriptions increased by 2,000%.
In March, Papua New Guinea imposed an internet blackout, calling it a “trial” aimed at combating misinformation. The result? An increase in VPN usage of more than 14,000%.
Afghans reacted similarly when a 24-hour internet blackout was imposed, and ProtonVPN saw a staggering 35,000% increase in subscriptions.
The bigger picture
Elsewhere, however, the rise in cases was driven by concerns about surveillance and political positioning rather than necessity.
In July, the UK’s Online Safety Act introduced age verification, requiring internet users to provide sensitive data to access certain websites. While people could have simply trusted the process, many turned to VPNs.
Enrollments increased more than 1200%. The move was fueled by fears stemming from previous data breaches that revealed information such as government-issued ID cards and biometric data.
Similarly, the dispute between the United States and China over TikTok, which caused the platform to temporarily cease operations in the United States in January, generated a 520% increase.
It seems clear that ProtonVPN has won over many users precisely as concerns about censorship and surveillance have intensified and as digital awareness continues to rise.
“People increasingly view encryption and privacy as basic necessities rather than luxuries, and often take proactive measures, such as installing multiple VPNs in anticipation of blocks, bans, or political interference,” explains Peterson.
What the future holds
Looking ahead, Peterson expects more surveillance mandates disguised as security measures and more internet shutdowns in autocratic regimes.
“Some totalitarian countries, especially Iran, have already taken extreme measures,” he notes.
He warns that, globally, a fragmented Internet is no longer theoretical. “There is a divided network, with different rules, access and experiences depending on location, and global parity in innovation, human rights, freedom of expression and access to information has never been further apart.”
While digital resilience is growing around the world, threats to online freedom and privacy are not likely to disappear anytime soon. “This makes tools like VPNs more critical than ever,” he concludes.
