Want a Chinese IP address? Proton VPN now offers one, unlike most rivals

Date:
Tue, 08 Sep 2026 15:43:02 +0000

Description:
Proton VPN has added a China server via Smart Routing, offering a Chinese IP address, a feature only a handful of providers have. Here's what it means.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Proton VPN has added a China Smart Routing server Main use case is connecting to Chinese content and services from abroad Proton joins a short list of VPNs offering a (virtual) Chinese IP Proton VPN has just added one of the hardest server locations in the industry to offer: China.

As of September 3, 2026, Proton VPN offers Smart Routing servers in China, adding a Chinese IP address to a network that already spans well over 140 countries. It's notable because a genuine China option is something even some of the best VPN services don't provide. Serving up a Chinese IP address is technically and politically fraught, and the list of providers willing to do it is short.

Proton VPN best for privacy Based in Switzerland, this privacy-first VPN offers good speeds, advanced anti-censorship features, and a server network that spans 145 countries around the world including across Africa and Asia, where other providers tend to struggle. While its free VPN plan is handy, it comes with limitations. The good news is that upgrading to a premium subscription will cost you only the equivalent of $2.99 per month . View Deal How Proton's new China VPN server works The new China location isn't a physical VPN server inside the country.

Instead, it uses Proton's Smart Routing technology , which lets the provider offer servers in countries where it might not otherwise be able to, using infrastructure located elsewhere. In China's case, that infrastructure sits
in Hong Kong . You may like The best VPNs for China: top choices to beat the Great Firewall tested on the ground by experts Proton VPN servers all you need to know about the provider's network Security experts reveal Proton VPN avoids internal tunnel IP fingerprinting on iOS

When you connect, you appear to access the internet from China while keeping all of Proton's features and security.

These servers run on Proton's own bare-metal hardware, so they're as secure
as any other on the network. (Image credit: Future) NEW : Leave No Trace A weekly newsletter on digital privacy and online surveillance.

Leave No Trace investigates the companies and governments putting our digital freedom at risk and the people fighting back.

Subscribe now to get every edition delivered to your inbox every Friday, launching this September. What to read next Proton VPN adds 89 new servers in Brazil after CazeTV World Cup streams flood its network Proton VPN rolls out Rust-powered 'Proton Protocols' in beta across all major apps Proton VPN quietly unveils a massive under-the-hood upgrade here's all we know about 'Proton Protocols' When you should use Proton's China VPN server Proton is being careful about expectations. In a comment on the X thread announcing the change, Proton VPN's General Manager emphasised that "the primary supported use-case is for connecting *into* China from abroad to reach Chinese content and services."

In plain terms, this server is for people outside China who need to look like they're inside it: expats, travellers, and businesses reaching region-locked Chinese platforms, banking apps, or streaming.

It is not a fix for people inside China trying to escape the Great Firewall, though there is still some chance that Proton can help with that. Living abroad doesn't have to mean losing the platforms you grew up with.Proton VPN now has a China server, so you can connect back and stream Bilibili, Tencent Video, Youku, and Mango TV from anywhere. pic.twitter.com/MMJsuHLE6l
September 7, 2026 Getting a Chinese IP from a VPN is rare, because most providers don't offer a China server at all. Only a handful do: Private Internet Access , CyberGhost , and PureVPN all use servers to hand you a virtual Chinese IP.

Most of the bigger names, however, don't. ExpressVPN , Surfshark , and
NordVPN don't offer a dedicated China server location. Their focus is the opposite direction, helping users inside China tunnel out via obfuscation, rather than providing a domestic Chinese presence.

If beating the Great Firewall from inside China is your goal, though, read
our guide to the best VPN for China . Today's best Proton VPN deals Proton
VPN 24 Month $2.99 /mth View at Proton VPN Proton VPN $2.99 /mth View at Proton VPN Proton VPN 12 Month $3.99 /mth View at Proton VPN Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-services/want-a-chinese-ip-address-proton-vp n-now-offers-one-unlike-most-rivals


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