Kape Technologies buys ExpressVPN for 936 million dollars

Kape Technologies, the same company that distributed adware under the name Crossrider up until 2018, is continuing its VPN buying spree with ExpressVPN. The deal is valued at $936 million US dollars.

Following its string of VPN acquisitions, including Private Internet Access and CyberGhost, Kape's acquisition announcement has raised alarm bells with privacy-inclined Internet users due to the company's history as an adware distributor with ties to Israel's Unit 8200.

"Ensuring that Kape shared our commitment to privacy and doing right by users was a non-negotiable in our due diligence process, and we were thorough in our assessment. Based on what we saw and heard, we are confident about working with Kape.

Kape has moved on from those times. They now have a new team and suite of products focused solely on privacy and security. Their revenue, reporting in public filings for all to see, also reflects that, coming 100 per cent from the digital privacy and security segments. And the way they’ve operated those products has absolutely demonstrated a commitment to user privacy, as well as transparency – Kape’s track record with Private Internet Access and CyberGhost speaks for itself."

In addition to this statement from Kape, ExpressVPN posted on its blog in order to reassure users that the service will remain in the British Virgin Islands. The post states the following:

"ExpressVPN will remain a separate service from other Kape brands, and everything you’ve come to know and love about ExpressVPN will only continue to improve: our award-winning speed and reliability, premium global server network and bandwidth, 24/7 live chat, BVI jurisdiction, policy of not collecting activity or connection logs, independent third-party audits, and more."

The acquisition is set to complete by Q4 2021, with ExpressVPN operating completely independently for the foreseeable future.

Further coverage: Press release ExpressVPN Blog CNET The Register