NymVPN roadmap through 2024 and beyond

Article updated on 25 October

Nym’s roadmap has evolved a lot since the inception of the mixnet in 2018. Originally, it was just an idea at a simple dinner table to solve a huge problem: being truly private online. And as the technology and network developed to meet the complex privacy needs of users, plans needed to change and adapt over the years.

But rest assured, this has all been for the best. As Harry Halpin, CEO of Nym Technologies, explained in the last Nym community call, what was originally envisioned as independent privacy projects being built on the Nym mixnet ultimately became a robust privacy tool for global users built by the Nym team itself. The result is NymVPN, a single app which provides the most sophisticated privacy-enhancing technology currently available for users across the world.

NymVPN is currently free and available for everyone anywhere to use: all you need to do is sign up for an instant credential. With NymVPN in your hands, you will have a customizable user experience with two options: the unparalleled privacy of the Anonymous Mode, or the faster but still private Fast Mode powered by WireGuard.

Of course, NymVPN is still in its Beta form and being widely tested before its commercial launch next month. This is thus a crucial moment and the Nym team also wants to share with you what to expect from NymVPN in the future and when key features will arrive.

Where we are: Tracking NymVPN’s progress

Nym’s ultimate mission is to bring privacy to all of humanity. Most VPNs, unfortunately, provide little to no privacy for users, despite all their marketing claims. Their centralized infrastructures make data leaks or government and metadata surveillance quite easy. NymVPN offers a totally different model: not just a fully decentralized network, but one designed to confuse the tracking efforts exploiting all of our personal data.

With NymVPN, everyone can choose their level of privacy as needed. NymVPN aims to provide a one-app experience, combining the simplicity and ease of use of traditional VPNs with the robust privacy levels of Tor.

In 2024, we developed our MVP NymVPN apps on five platforms, launched and stabilized both our signature 5-hop mixnet anonymous mode and the 2-hop WireGuard fast mode, launched our nymvpn.com website with both Help Center and Trust Center, and set up our Customer Support and Operations for future growth.

As we approach the end of 2024, we want to share some exciting news about what's on the horizon and provide insight into our future roadmap for 2025.

The NymVPN timeline is meant to clarify not only when NymVPN will be commercially launched, but also the specific app features and improvements that users should expect. If you’re dedicated, you can always check in on Nym’s regularly updated roadmap for NymVPN to see what projects have been completed, which are still in the works, and what’s on the horizon.

The NymVPN timeline: Finishing 2024

Here’s a summary of the important things to come in the next few months.

You can check out the NymVPN Blog Announcements for more details about our latest releases, including the WireGuard-powered 2-hop Fast mode, localization in over 10 languages, exit gateways in 30+ locations, and much more!

October 2024

• NymVPN Fast Mode was integrated with the WireGuard protocol
• The Nym network was scaled to 30+ entry and exit gateways
• Nym’s censorship resistance research project was started with new researchers

November 2024

• First stable version of NymVPN
• Launch of zk-nyms (zero-knowledge) access credentials to unlink user traffic from their payments
• App energy optimization on Android and iOS

December 2024

• Nym rebrand and new consolidated Nym web presence on nym.com
• Fast Mode with WireGuard for Windows
• Fully addressing network leaks on DNS and IPv6
• Paid subscriptions with debit cards, NYM, BTC (and maybe others!)
• Android app release in F-Droid main repo

NymVPN in 2025: True online privacy goes global

Approach

As we move into 2025, our goal is for NymVPN to be the flagship product in our mission to bring privacy to all of humanity. We will focus on three key areas:

• Enhancing the User Experience: We aim to increase Daily Active Usage by making for a smoother experience: more stable, reliable, and faster connections; split tunneling for optimal privacy for each online use case; an ad blocker for sleek browsing; and residential IPs for improved streaming experience
• Boosting Security and Trust: We will introduce features like a killswitch, post-quantum cryptography, and enhancements to our Trust Center and branding to elevate NymVPN’s security and trustworthiness.
• Expanding Access: We plan to reach more users through censorship-resistant technologies, a more localized in-app and website experience, and the inclusion of local payment methods.

While our current focus is on B2C users, we are also exploring the possibility of a B2B (SME) version of NymVPN. We are excited to continue receiving valuable feedback from our users and community, and we hope you’ll be just as enthusiastic about these upcoming features!

NymVPN apps

Here are some additional details about the features mentioned above, and how we believe they can add significant value for NymVPN users while furthering Nym's mission.

Enhancing the User Experience

Split tunneling: Split tunneling is a common feature in privacy-enhancing technologies, allowing users to configure whether their browsing or app traffic routes inside or outside the private tunnel. We aim to enhance this feature by enabling users to pre-configure traffic routes either outside of NymVPN, through the 2-hop mode (ideal for browsing and streaming), or via the mixnet (for secure messaging and crypto transactions). This approach ensures users enjoy a smooth, always-on experience without needing to disconnect from NymVPN or endure slow speeds.

Residential IPs: IP addresses are typically classified as either Datacenter IPs or Residential IPs. While many of our exit gateways operate from datacenters, providing high bandwidth and stable connections, this setup can lead to censorship by some online services. By leveraging residential IPs, NymVPN users would have the ability to route their traffic through other users’ internet connections, increasing the number of exit gateways and enhancing access to various online services. Additionally, NymVPN users who share their internet access would be rewarded, potentially offsetting the cost of their subscription.

Boosting Security and Trust

Killswitch and lockdown mode: These typically act as circuit breakers, preventing (almost) any traffic from exiting the user’s device when not connected to NymVPN. This greatly enhances users’ privacy and security, especially in the event of an unexpected loss of connectivity with one of NymVPN's gateways or in unstable network conditions.

Post-quantum cryptography: By replacing our cryptographic primitives with post-quantum resistant ones, we aim to safeguard our users from the future threat posed by post-quantum computers, in particular the “Harvest now, decrypt later” data collection strategies.

Expanding Access

Censorship resistance: Many internet users worldwide face restrictive internet policies that traditional privacy-enhancing technologies cannot always circumvent. By integrating censorship-defeating technologies, NymVPN can further Nym’s mission while significantly expanding its addressable user base.

Understanding the Nym timeline

The Nym timeline is ultimately an evolving and adapting way of communicating with our community of operators, testers, users, and subscribers. You need to know where we’re going together, and Nym is listening eagerly to all your feedback. The Nym project time has just been updated, so check it out here at the bottom of the page.

But when it comes to NymVPN, there are very clear objectives. In the meantime, please let us know your questions or concerns!