These free VPNs can have ties with the Chinese army – and they are still hidden in Apple and Google App stores
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- New research showed that Apple and Google VPN apps continue to offer without revealing their Chinese ownership
- At least five can have ties with a The company established in Shanghai believed that it has ties with the Chinese army
- Experts discovered this threat for the first time in April 2025
At least 17 China-linked free VPN apps can still be hidden in Apple and Google App stores, and Big Tech could make a profit-as revealed by new research.
In April, experts from Tech Transparency Project (TTP) first discovered those millions by Free VPN Users can have in 20 apps sent their data to China Without knowing it. Five of these would have ties with Qihoo 360, a company located in Shanghai that was supposed to have ties with the Chinese army.
Now, about six weeks later, TTP researchers have discovered that most of these VPNs are still available in the American Apple and Google App stores. They also said that they have found evidence that Apple and Google can also benefit from these apps.
What are the free VPNs affected?
TTP’s first report showed that more than 20 of the top 100 free VPNs available in the US Apple App Store had not announced ties with China.
Five of these apps (Turbo VPN, VPN Proxy Master, Thunder VPN, Snap VPN and Signal Secure VPN) are reportedly linked to Qihoo 360 – A company USA Sanctioned On national security grounds for his alleged ties with the Chinese army in June 2020.
While the Best VPN Services promise to stimulate and work with strict no-log policy online, Chinese VPNs are subject to stricter rules for the retention of data and can be forced to share user data with the government on request.
After another check in May, a Update of the report Claims that, despite the fact that some of them were rightly removed, “two other apps were linked to Qihoo 360-Turbo VPN and VPN Proxy Master’s Master-available remained in the US Apple App Store, along with 11 other apps that are identified in the TTP report.”
The latter are X -VPN, Ostrich VPN, VPNIFY, VPN Proxy OVPNSPIDER, WIREVPN – Fast VPN & Proxy, now VPN, Speedy Quark VPN, Best VPN Proxy AppVPN, HULAVPN and Pearl VPN.
New: Apple and Google’s app stores continue to offer VPNs that are secretly owned by Chinese companies, more than 6 weeks after TTP has identified them for the first time. The latest findings also show that Apple and Google may benefit from these apps by taking a reduction in the subscription income. pic.twitter.com/fgzvbhptowJune 12, 2025
Researchers also discovered that the Google Play Store in the US 11 Free VPN apps offered Shady Chinese Property, including four Qihoo 360-connected services (Turbo VPN, VPN Proxy Master, Snap VPN and Signal Secure VPN).
The others are X-VPN, Speedy Quark VPN, VPNify, Ostrich VPN, VPN Proxy OVPNSPIDER, HULAVPN and VPNProxy AppVPN.
But not just that. During TTPs May Spot-Control, researchers noted that some of the VPNs that are mentioned as free in the app stores in-app offer purchases at the top.
“That means that Apple and Google may benefit from these VPNs in Chinese when Americans pay for subscriptions or other add-ons,” is the new report.
In the Google Play Store, some VPNs in Chinese are also supplied with a banner who say they contain advertisements.
TTP said that Apple, Google, Qihoo 360 and most listed developers of the apps did not respond to their request for comments.
TechRadar approached both Google and Apple for a response.
Apple told TechRadar that the company has a number of strict guidelines In place for VPN app developers, including non -use or disclosure of data for any purpose to third parties. However, Apple said that the app distribution is not limited on the basis of where the provider is based.
We are still waiting for a reaction from Google at the time of publication.
We can confirm that the China-linked VPN apps are also available in the official app stores of the UK, and those are probably also affected.
If you are looking for a reliable free VPN service, we recommend that you check Dedicated guide here. The best recommendations of today are Privado VPN And Proton VPN.
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