In 2023, residents of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) exhibited a notable increase in the download of virtual private network (VPN) apps by 1.83 million, reaching a total of 6.1 million, according to the latest update from the Global VPN Adoption Index by Atlas VPN.
This surge propelled the UAE’s VPN adoption rate to 61.7 per cent, making it the second-highest globally, trailing only Qatar with a 69.87 per cent adoption rate. The adoption rate represents the percentage of the country’s population that downloaded VPN services in 2023.
On a global scale, the UAE held the highest adoption rate in 2022 after Qatar. Notably, in 2023, the UAE experienced the highest VPN application downloads in the past four years, surpassing the 6.09 million recorded during the pandemic year of 2020. VPN downloads peaked in the UAE during the pandemic.
Using VPNs in the UAE is permissible as long as it adheres to the guidelines set by the UAE government and the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA). However, engaging in illegal activities or committing crimes through VPNs is a serious offence under the UAE Decree Law No (34) of 2021, addressing rumours and cybercrimes. Illegitimate use of VPNs, such as hiding IP addresses to access blocked websites, calling applications, or gaming applications, is also against the law.
Under Article 10 of the UAE Cyber Law, individuals misusing VPNs may face imprisonment and fines ranging from Dh500,000 to Dh2 million.
Atlas VPN ranked 86 countries based on VPN usage from 2020 to 2023. The VPN penetration rate was determined by aggregating VPN downloads by country and dividing them by the country’s population. Data on VPN downloads was sourced from Google Play and Apple App Store using Sensor Tower and AppTweak services, including information from the 45 largest VPN providers.
Nord Security indicated that individuals in the UAE and other Gulf countries often download VPNs to access restricted content. VPN usage is prevalent among Gulf residents for making audio-video calls through popular apps like WhatsApp, Skype, FaceTime, Discord, IMO, as well as for using dating apps.
The top 10 countries with the highest VPN adoption in 2023 are Qatar, UAE, Singapore, Oman, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey, France, and Australia. Conversely, the top 10 countries with the least VPN adoption in 2023 include South Africa, Japan, Kenya, Thailand, Peru, Tunisia, Egypt, India, Mexico, and Hungary.
