Mullvad VPN: what it is and how to use it
Mullvad is a Swedish VPN whose account is just a number generated by the system, with no email, name or password. For buying and holding bitcoin, it hides your IP from sites and your traffic from your ISP, and accepts cash, Monero or Bitcoin.
Overview
| Category | VPN |
|---|---|
| KYC required | No |
| Open source | Yes |
| Price | €5 per month, flat rate (Oct 2026); 10% discount when paying in crypto |
| Official site | mullvad.net |
How do you use Mullvad VPN?
- Type mullvad.net straight into the address bar (do not click an ad) and download the app for your system; on a phone, install from the official store and check the developer name.
- If you can, verify the download with the hash or the GPG signature, following the official guide at mullvad.net/en/help/verifying-signatures.
- Generate the account number on the site or in the app and keep it in a password manager or on paper. It cannot be recovered.
- Pick a payment method: by privacy, cash by mail, Monero, Bitcoin, and only then card, PayPal or bank transfer. One month is enough to start.
- Enter the number in the app, add time and connect. Then open mullvad.net/en/check and confirm there is no IP, DNS or WebRTC leak; repeat after switching networks and after a reboot.
- On Android, turn on Always-on VPN and Block connections without VPN; on iPhone, turn on Force all apps in the app.
- When the risk justifies it, try multihop (two servers in different countries), DAITA and obfuscation; on desktop the kill switch is always on.
What are the limits and cautions?
- A VPN swaps the observer: the provider now sees what your ISP used to see. It does not hide who you are where you identify yourself, does not protect against malware and does not replace HTTPS.
- The account number is the only access key: whoever has it has the account, and if lost it cannot be recovered. Paying in Bitcoin links one of your addresses to the payment, and card, PayPal and bank transfer leave a trail with third parties.
- On Android and iOS, some system traffic can leave outside the tunnel even with maximum protection on. A phone reduces risk, it does not eliminate it.
Other VPN tools
How to Buy Bitcoin Anonymously — See the book on Amazon