What Xplicittrust Gmbh does

XplicitTrust GmbH is a Karlsruhe-based, privately held German provider of Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) software built on the WireGuard protocol. The company was founded by three Astaro AG veterans — Emanuel Taube (CTO), Daniel Stutz (CEO), and Markus Hennig (CFO) — to deliver identity-based remote access without traditional VPN gateways, hardware concentrators, or firewall reconfiguration.

The platform consists of three layered products: XplicitTrust Network Access, the core ZTNA service that establishes end-to-end encrypted peer-to-peer tunnels between authenticated devices using a control plane that does not inspect session data; a cross-platform XplicitTrust Agent (Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi, iOS, Android) that auto-provisions in under 30 seconds without certificate distribution; and a web-based Admin Console for managing users, devices, policies, and live event logging. Identity is delegated to existing identity providers (Microsoft Entra, Google, Keycloak, Bare.ID, Okta, Cisco Duo, AuthN by IDEE, OIDC, ADFS), and policies combine identity, MFA, and continuous device-posture checks to enforce per-application access rather than network-wide trust. Auxiliary modules — Subnets, Virtual Assets, Exit Nodes — expose legacy or unmanaged devices and provide traffic-routing capabilities. An SBOM is published per release, and live events can be streamed to SIEM systems via documented APIs.

The business model is per-user subscription licensing priced for SMB through mid-market, sold exclusively through certified channel partners (with multi-tenant console, volume discounts, and personal support from Germany) and supplemented by a direct self-serve 30-day free trial and a Microsoft Azure Marketplace listing for enterprise procurement. The platform is hosted exclusively in the EU with data residency in Germany, contracts under German law, and design alignment to GDPR, NIS-2, ISO 27001, BSI IT-Grundschutz, CRA, and DORA — positioning the company for European customers requiring digital sovereignty over security infrastructure. Revenue figures, headcount, and institutional funding are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Xplicittrust Gmbh

Legal name

XplicitTrust GmbH

Website

https://xplicittrust.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

XplicitTrust GmbH is a Karlsruhe, Germany-based software vendor providing Zero Trust Network Access built on WireGuard, delivering identity-based application access and end-to-end encrypted tunnels through a channel-exclusive partner model aimed at European SMB and mid-market customers requiring data sovereignty.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) Software

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518), Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Computer Communications Equipment (3576)

akta.pro primary industry

Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP) / Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) (HDADABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

VPN & Remote Access Gateways (HDADABAD), Access Management & Policy Enforcement (Authorization, ZTNA integration) (HDAEAJAG), Network Security Services (Firewall/VPN/ZTNA/SASE Integration) (BPAEAEAG)

Keywords

• Zero trust network access
• VPN replacement
• Secure remote access
• Network security software
• Endpoint security agents

Headquarters

HQ city

Karlsruhe

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Software Licensing: Per-user subscription licensing for Zero Trust Network Access. On-demand or prepaid billing options. Volume-based discounts for partners. SMB-friendly per-user pricing.
2. Azure Marketplace: XplicitTrust Network Access subscription available on Microsoft Azure Marketplace for enterprise procurement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

XplicitTrust GmbH builds and sells a Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) platform based on the WireGuard protocol, marketed as a modern replacement for traditional corporate VPNs. The solution is delivered as multi-platform client software for Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi, iOS, and Android, and is operated under a Made-in-Germany, EU-only data-flow posture.

Product overview

XplicitTrust is a unified Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) platform built on WireGuard, developed and hosted in Germany. The core offering is XplicitTrust Network Access, a modern VPN that replaces traditional VPN concentrators with identity-based access control and peer-to-peer encrypted tunnels. The platform consists of cross-platform agents (Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi, iOS, Android), the Admin Console for centralized management, and the Partner Portal for multi-tenant partner operations. Additional modules include Virtual Assets (for legacy devices without agent support), Subnets (for exposing entire network ranges), Exit Nodes (for routing traffic through specific locations), and Policies (for granular, identity-based access control). The solution is sold exclusively through certified channel partners with per-user pricing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• XplicitTrust ZTNA Platform A Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) platform built on the WireGuard protocol, marketed as a modern replacement for traditional corporate VPNs. Sold as a per-user subscription via certified channel partners to European organizations needing secure remote access with EU-only data flows.
• XplicitTrust Multi-Platform Client Agents Native endpoint client software that connects user devices to the XplicitTrust ZTNA platform. Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi, iOS, and Android, enabling secure Zero Trust access from heterogeneous enterprise environments.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) for SSO, MFA, and user/group synchronization. Admin consent required during signup. Azure AD Guest User support for external collaborators. Support for on-premises AD via ADFS.
• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Google Identity/Workspace for authentication. SSO and MFA support. Gmail and googlemail addresses treated interchangeably.
• KeycloakcoreTechnology or IntegrationOpen source identity provider integration. European alternative to US-based IdPs. Full SSO, MFA, and group synchronization support.
• BareIDcoreTechnology or IntegrationEuropean identity provider integration. Strict Role Enforcement support. Group synchronization for Bare.ID tenants.
• CleverReachminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmail marketing platform provider for newsletter distribution. Service provider based in Rastede, Germany.
• OktacoreTechnology or IntegrationOkta Workforce Identity Cloud integration for enterprise identity management. SSO and MFA authentication support.
• CiscocoreTechnology or IntegrationCisco Duo MFA integration support for additional authentication layer.
• AuthN by IDEEcoreTechnology or IntegrationEuropean identity provider integration. Alternative to US-based identity providers for data-sovereign authentication.
• CyberforumminorOthersMember of German startup ecosystem network. Knowledge transfer and networking within European startup culture.
• CyberLab AcceleratorminorOthersAlumni of CyberLab accelerator in Karlsruhe. Part of German startup support ecosystem.
• KASTEL StartUpSecureminorOthersMember of KASTEL StartUpSecure community at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. Cybersecurity startup support program.
• KIT GründerschmiedeminorOthersBeneficiary of KIT Gründerschmiede startup services. Startup ecosystem support from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• NetBird: NetBird is an open-source WireGuard-based overlay network with ZTNA-style access controls, comparable in underlying technology to XplicitTrust. Differentiates on self-hostable and free OSS versus XplicitTrust's commercial SaaS with EU sovereignty focus.

Broad incumbents

• Cloudflare (Cloudflare Access / Cloudflare One): Cloudflare offers ZTNA as part of its Cloudflare One SASE platform, providing identity-based application access at massive global scale. XplicitTrust explicitly positions against Cloudflare Access for SMB and sovereignty-focused buyers who cannot rely on a US-headquartered hyperscaler.
• Zscaler (Zscaler Private Access): Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) is a flagship ZTNA product delivering identity-based, brokered application access for global enterprises. Comparable on the ZTNA capability set but operates at vastly larger scale and bundles into the broader Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform.
• Cisco (Secure Access / AnyConnect): Cisco AnyConnect and the newer Cisco Secure Access platform represent the legacy VPN installed base that XplicitTrust directly targets for replacement. Incumbent scale, deep enterprise penetration, and bundled networking make Cisco the primary displacement target for XplicitTrust.
• Palo Alto Networks (Prisma Access): Prisma Access delivers ZTNA as part of Palo Alto's broader SASE and security platform, and XplicitTrust's comparison pages directly target the installed base of legacy Palo Alto VPN customers. Overlaps on ZTNA functionality but operates at incumbent scale across enterprise and government.
• Fortinet (FortiGate / FortiClient ZTNA): Fortinet delivers ZTNA as part of its FortiGate and FortiClient product lines and is named directly in XplicitTrust's comparison materials as a legacy VPN replacement target. Comparable on functional capability but bundles ZTNA into a broader hardware-centric security portfolio.

Direct peers

• Tailscale: Tailscale is a WireGuard-based mesh VPN and ZTNA platform that closely mirrors XplicitTrust's architecture, peer-to-peer encrypted tunnel model, and identity-based access control. Both target developer and IT teams replacing legacy VPNs with simpler, agent-based deployment and IdP integration.
• NordLayer: NordLayer is a business-oriented VPN and ZTNA offering built by the NordVPN team, targeting SMB and mid-market customers with per-seat pricing and a focus on replacing legacy VPN. Direct functional and commercial overlap with XplicitTrust, though NordLayer relies on WireGuard/NordLynx alongside proprietary stack.
• Twingate: Twingate is a modern ZTNA solution that replaces legacy VPN with identity-aware, application-level access for distributed workforces. Directly comparable in product philosophy, target mid-market buyer, and channel-friendly GTM, though Twingate uses its own protocol rather than WireGuard.
• Perimeter 81: Perimeter 81 (now Check Point Harmony SASE) is a ZTNA/SASE platform targeting exactly the same SMB and mid-market segment as XplicitTrust, with per-user SaaS pricing and channel-friendly distribution. Closely comparable on go-to-market, target buyer, and product category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/xplicittrust

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Xplicittrust Gmbh