Israeli Billionaire's Ownership of Major VPN Providers Draws Scrutiny

A recent tweet from Kathleen Tyson, stating, "Most VPNs are owned by Israelis. Be careful out there. Do your research before downloading," has brought the complex landscape of Virtual Private Network (VPN) ownership into public discourse. While the claim that "most" VPNs are Israeli-owned is not supported by available data, a significant portfolio of prominent VPN services is indeed under the ownership of an Israeli billionaire, sparking discussions among privacy-conscious users.

Kape Technologies, a UK-based cybersecurity firm, wholly owned by Israeli billionaire Teddy Sagi, has acquired several well-known VPN brands. This portfolio includes popular services such as ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access (PIA), CyberGhost, and Zenmate. Sagi's ownership of Kape Technologies, which was delisted from the London Stock Exchange in 2023, consolidates a substantial portion of the consumer VPN market under a single entity.

Concerns have been raised by some media outlets, including PressTV, regarding the backgrounds of certain Kape Technologies executives, who reportedly have ties to Israeli intelligence units like Unit 8200 and Duvdevan. Additionally, Sagi's public financial support for the Israeli military has led to questions about potential implications for user privacy and data security, aligning with the "be careful" sentiment expressed in Tyson's tweet.

However, the broader VPN industry remains highly diverse in its ownership and geographical distribution. Leading providers like NordVPN are developed by Nord Security, incorporated in the Netherlands with offices in Lithuania and Panama, while Proton VPN operates from Switzerland, known for its strong privacy laws. Other major players, such as Surfshark (Netherlands), PrivateVPN (Sweden), and Hide.me (Malaysia), further illustrate the global nature of the VPN market, dispelling the notion of a majority Israeli ownership.

In light of these complexities, users are urged to "do their research" diligently before selecting a VPN. Key factors to consider include the provider's jurisdiction (preferably outside intelligence-sharing alliances like Five Eyes), a rigorously audited no-logs policy, strong encryption standards (e.g., AES-256, WireGuard), and transparent company history. Avoiding free VPNs with unclear business models is also crucial, as they may compromise user data through intrusive ads or data collection.