- Proton VPN signups surged 17,500% as Iran partly restores the internet
- Spike mirrors historic surges during past internet shutdowns
- Iranians turn to trusted circumvention tools whenever access is restricted
UPDATE: One day after publication (Thursday, May 28), Proton VPN's signups from Iran increased by 17,500%. We made some small edits to reflect this.
Proton VPN has recorded a 17,500% increase in signups from Iran following the partial restoration of internet access after a three-month nationwide blackout.
An initial 6,000% surge was recorded as of Wednesday, May 27, after Iran began lifting the near-total internet shutdown that had been in effect since January 2026 amid widespread protests and ensuing military conflict with the US and Israel.
The day after, the figures were more than doubled, with General Manager of Proton VPN, David Pereson, noting that traffic had returned to "February levels," meaning ahead of the second wave of restrictions that would last 88 days.
As Iran's government allowed limited access to the internet starting on Tuesday, users flocked to the best VPN services to establish secure connections and bypass remaining filters.
This latest spike is the most recent in a long line of surges Proton VPN has witnessed in the wake of censorship and political unrest in Iran.
The data, available via the Proton VPN Observatory, reveals a consistent pattern: whenever access is restricted, the demand for secure circumvention tools like Proton VPN explodes.
Internet users in Iran seize window of opportunity
While the internet in Iran remains limited, the volume of new signups indicates citizens' desire to bypass resisting censorship and access independent news sites and secure communication channels.
The transition from a “whitelist” system — where only pre-approved sites were accessible to some privileged few — to a partially restored network has created a window of opportunity for Iran’s internet users who are taking the chance to regain online access before restrictions potentially tighten again.
"This +6000%, and growing, spike shows how desperately Iranians want to reconnect with the outside world, access independent information, and communicate freely," said Peterson in a statement at TechRadar on Wednesday.
Peterson also ensures that Proton will "continue expanding capacity and standing with the Iranian people in their fight for true digital freedom."
Iran's long history of blackouts
This is not the first time Proton VPN has seen extraordinary demand from Iran. The country has a long history of internet shutdowns and heavy censorship during periods of unrest. In each instance, Proton VPN has become a critical lifeline for Iranians seeking access to global news and secure communications.
Following the outbreak of nationwide protests in October 2022, Iranian authorities imposed severe internet restrictions and blocked most social media platforms, which also resulted in a +6,000% increase in signups. More recently, in June 2025, a +5,500% increase was recorded when connectivity was partially restored after a near-total blackout imposed just eight days prior.
The volatility of Iran’s internet access was highlighted earlier this year as a January 7 +1,000% signup surge was recorded amid anti-government protests. This was followed by a staggering +400,000% spike on January 21 during a brief, chaotic window of restored access.
The current 6,000% surge suggests that despite the trauma of the recent three-month blackout, the appetite for an open internet remains undiminished.
Users consistently gravitate to Proton VPN as it offers one of the best free VPN apps on the market, alongside a strong reputation for privacy and its advanced obfuscation technologies. Features like Stealth mode and Tor over VPN are specifically designed to bypass deep packet inspection and strict firewalls, allowing users to hide their traffic from censors.
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