Private Internet Access review for crypto users
Last reviewed 2026-08-12
Ownership disclosure
Private Internet Access is the cheap way to get a VPN whose no-logs claim has actually survived court, with two caveats: it is based in the United States, and it is owned by Kape Technologies. PIA's no-logs record is unusually concrete. In a 2016 FBI case, a subpoena produced nothing beyond the fact that a cluster of IP addresses sat on the US east coast, and in a 2018 hacking trial in San Jose federal court the company again could not link activity to any user. Few VPNs have had their marketing tested under oath twice.
The caveats matter for some threat models. US jurisdiction means PIA can be served with US legal process, including gag-ordered demands; the court record shows there was nothing to hand over, but a US base is still a real difference from Panama or the British Virgin Islands. And Kape Technologies has owned PIA since 2018, the same holding company that owns ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, so two of the three VPNs we review share an owner. We flag that in both reviews.
Bitcoin is accepted at checkout through BitPay, alongside other cryptocurrencies, and PIA publishes a dedicated pay-with-bitcoin page. Combined with long-term pricing that undercuts most rivals, PIA is the value pick if the US base does not conflict with your threat model.
- Owned by
- Kape Technologies
- Jurisdiction
- United States
- Price
- Among the cheapest major VPNs on multi-year plans; monthly plans cost several times the long-term per-month rate.
- Pay with bitcoin
- Yes
What it does for a bitcoin user
- No-logs policy tested in US courts in 2016 and 2018 with nothing to produce
- Accepts bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies at checkout via BitPay
- Open-source apps and a published transparency report
- Kill switch built into every app
- Owned by Kape Technologies since 2018, alongside ExpressVPN and CyberGhost
What it will not do: bypass KYC, hide on-chain activity, or make using geo-blocked exchanges safe. Details in the VPN guide.
Pros and cons
What works
- No-logs claims proven in court twice: a 2016 FBI subpoena and a 2018 federal hacking trial both came up empty
- Takes bitcoin via BitPay and maintains a dedicated pay-with-bitcoin page
- Open-source desktop and mobile apps, so the client code can be inspected
- Among the cheapest long-term plans of any major VPN
What to watch
- US jurisdiction: subject to US legal process and gag orders, a real drawback for some threat models
- Owned by Kape Technologies since 2018, the same company as ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, so two of the three VPNs we review share one owner
- Ownership changed from founding company London Trust Media to Kape, so today's operator is not the one that built the court-tested record
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay for Private Internet Access with bitcoin?
Yes. PIA accepts bitcoin and several other cryptocurrencies through BitPay at checkout, and maintains a dedicated pay-with-bitcoin page. You need an email address to create the account.
Has PIA really proven its no-logs policy in court?
Twice. A 2016 FBI subpoena produced nothing beyond a general geographic region for a set of IP addresses, and in a 2018 federal hacking trial PIA again could not link activity to any user.
Is PIA's US jurisdiction a problem?
It depends on your threat model. The US can serve legal process and gag orders on PIA, but the court record shows the company had no user activity data to hand over. If you want distance from US jurisdiction, NordVPN in Panama is the alternative we cover.
Who owns Private Internet Access?
Kape Technologies, since 2018. Kape also owns ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, which is why we disclose the shared ownership in both of our reviews.