- Surfshark Group acquires a majority stake in data removal service Optery
- It joins Incogni, Ironwall, HeyPolo, while running as an independent brand
- The acquisition is expected to expand Surfshark’s data broker coverage
Surfshark, the company behind one of the best VPN services around, is growing its privacy footprint again. The group has completed its acquisition of a majority stake in Optery, a US-based data removal specialist, adding a fifth brand to its expanding cybersecurity ecosystem.
Announced on September 7, the deal places Optery alongside existing group members Incogni, Ironwall, and HeyPolo. Financial terms were not disclosed.
For a group built around online privacy, buying another company that scrubs personal information from data brokers is a natural fit. It also marks another step in the steady consolidation of the booming data removal industry.
Surfshark – the best cheap VPN
Surfshark is a fast, easy-to-use VPN that seriously beats the competition when it comes to subscription pricing. Its two-year Starter plan works out at $2.49 a month(plus tax), but we think Surfshark One is the best value plan as it adds an antivirus, data breach monitor, and alternative ID tool starting from the equivalent of $2.79 a month. View Deal
What Optery brings to the table
Optery is a US data removal service that finds and deletes personal details from data brokers, people-search sites, and search engine results.
According to Surfshark, it stands out for its specialized scanning technology, detailed screenshot reporting, and broad US data broker coverage.
In our Optery review, we called it one of the strongest data removal tools of 2026, praising its transparent before-and-after reporting and genuinely useful free tier. For now, Optery is available only in the US and Canada, though it has signaled plans to expand internationally.
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.
Why Surfshark made the move
Surfshark frames the acquisition as a response to growing demand for data control in an AI-driven world, where personal information increasingly surfaces in search results and AI-generated summaries.
The wider data broker market is expected to top $440 billion by 2032, making removal services a valuable long-term bet.
“At Surfshark Group, our goal is to empower people to take full control of their digital lives,” said Vytautas Kaziukonis, founder and chairman of the board at Surfshark Group.
Optery is the group’s second acquisition, following its 2024 purchase of Ironwall, a removal service aimed at government employees and executives.
Surfshark itself merged with NordVPN parent Nord Security in 2022, so growth through consolidation is well-trodden ground.
What Optery’s acquisition means for Surfshark users
If you already use a Surfshark or Incogni product, not much changes overnight. Optery will keep operating independently, with its own teams, products, and technology, so there’s no bundling or migration right now.
The bigger payoff should come over time. Surfshark says the deal will let it expand data broker coverage, deepen its knowledge of search-related removals, and ship new privacy tools faster across the group. Pairing Optery’s US expertise with Incogni’s global scale, in particular, could sharpen both services.
“By pooling our knowledge with Incogni, Ironwall, and Surfshark, we can collaborate extensively to deliver even greater protection for our users,” said Lawrence Gentilello, CEO and founder of Optery.
