Proton threatens to leave Switzerland amid proposed law changes

Proposed surveillance regulations in Switzerland are “roughly equivalent” to Russian laws and could force Proton to relocate its headquarters outside the country, Andy Yen, founder and CEO of Proton, said.

Proton is a Geneva-based leading provider of encrypted email, VPN, and other privacy-focused services with over 100 million users.

Under the proposed amendment to Swiss surveillance law, companies – postal and telecommunications correspondence service providers – with over a million users or 100 million francs ($120 million) revenue, will have to meet full requirements of monitoring users, storing metadata in real time, and providing the data to Swiss authorities.

VPN services, messaging apps, and social networks would be required to identify users, retain their data, and adjust no-log policies.

The expanded surveillance obligations would include Proton and other service providers such as Threema or NymVPN.

In an interview with Swiss public broadcaster RTS (Radio Télévision Suisse), Yen compared the proposed regulation to laws in Russia.

“I think we would have no choice but to leave Switzerland,” he said.

“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 argues that the proposed intrusive measures would be deemed illegal in the European Union and the US, and the compliance would contradict Proton’s foundational commitment to user privacy and security.

The consultation on the proposed law revision lasted until May 6th, 2025, and the Swiss government will decide on how to move forward. Yen seems to remain optimistic.

“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,” he concluded.