Proton May Exit Switzerland Over Proposed Surveillance Law Changes

• Proton and NymVPN may exit Switzerland over the newly proposed surveillance law.
• New rules would force VPNs and apps to identify and log user data.
• Privacy and encryption advocates warn of risks to digital rights.

Switzerland is facing backlash from privacy-focused tech companies over proposed changes to the country's surveillance laws. If passed, the amendment would require VPN providers, messaging apps, and other digital services to identify users and store their data — a sharp shift from current regulations that apply mainly to telecom operators and ISPs.

One of the loudest voices opposing the move is Andy Yen, CEO and founder of Proton, the company behind Proton Mail and Proton VPN. In an interview with Swiss broadcaster RTS on May 13, 2025, Yen warned that the company may have to leave Switzerland if the new law is approved.

"I think we would have no choice but to leave Switzerland," Yen said. "The law would become almost identical to the one in force today in Russia. It's an untenable situation. We would be less confidential as a company in Switzerland than Google, based in the United States. So it's impossible for our business model."

Yen also called the amendment a "major violation of the right to privacy," adding that it would damage Switzerland’s global reputation and its ability to attract and retain privacy-focused companies. He pointed out that similar laws have been deemed illegal in both the EU and the US, and noted that only Russia currently enforces comparable measures.

If passed, the revision would apply to so-called “derived service providers,” including encrypted email platforms and VPNs. It would also introduce new forms of surveillance and new categories of data to be collected, pressuring companies to compromise on privacy protections like no-logs policies and end-to-end encryption.

In Switzerland, the new version of the surveillance law aims to make it impossible for Proton, Threema and@nymproject to operate from Switzerland.

We are in the consultation phase. We will fight. https://t.co/BcMBxzIPFC

— Nym (@nymproject) March 25, 2025

Proton is not the only company voicing concern. NymVPN, another Swiss-based VPN service, has also said it will leave the country if the changes go through. Alexis Roussel, NymVPN’s co-founder and COO, confirmed that his company would relocate rather than compromise its users’ privacy.

Public consultations on the amendment closed on May 6, 2025. Now, the decision lies with the Swiss government. However, there has already been political resistance. Some Cantons, including Geneva, have invoked the "right to digital integrity" — a principle introduced in Geneva in 2023 and later in Neuchâtel in 2024 with strong public support — as a reason to reject the proposal.

Despite the uncertainty, Yen expressed hope that Swiss lawmakers might reconsider. “If we can get Bern to adopt common-sense rules that allow companies like Proton to be competitive in Switzerland and around the world, I will stay, take my passport, and continue to invest in Switzerland,” he said.

For now, both Proton and NymVPN remain in a holding pattern, awaiting the government’s decision — and preparing for the possibility of moving operations elsewhere if necessary.