AirVPN (for several years now), and until I found out about the PIA/Kape Technologies thing, I had PIA as a backup. (Not anymore.)
I’ll probably add Mullvad or something recommended on restoreprivacy.com.
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I used IPVanish for a while, and I then switched to ExpressVPN. This was after the IPVanish “logging scandal,” but I changed mostly for Linux support.
I admit that ExpressVPN and I got off to a rocky start. I complained of having to do a Google captcha to get to my account, because I try to not allow Google–or Facebook–on my systems. They shortly changed to 2FA instead. (I would like to think it was because I vociferously complained. 
)
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Do you know anything about the theory/rumor that ExpressVPN was, or is, owned by a company in Hong Kong, and incorporated in British Virgin Islands? (I don’t know if it’s true or not, and I’m not trying to disparage them.)
Edit: I decided to reword this post with more neutral language, precisely because the theory may be way off-base.
Here’s what I found that made me question its origin: https://cooltechzone.com/expressvpn and https://www.tomsguide.com/news/vpns-leave-hong-kong
And lots of companies choose BVI as a place to set up shop; no mystery there.
No, I have not heard or read about this anywhere.
I read the two articles you cite in your edit. While the first implies ExpressVPN was founded in Hong Kong, it offers no source or credible evidence. (I have not found any in my searching either, but I am certain it is not exhaustive. It could be possible.) As for the second, it accepted the “correction” from ExpressVPN that it was not founded in Hong Kong.
I have to say that when I was seeking a new service, I also looked at NordVPN. I encountered much the same “mystery” with it being based in Panama.
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Same here. Could be nothing.
Bottom line, it’s important to research the companies and services one uses. (We all certainly know that here!)
Now, about all those free VPNs out there… 
I did find a Reddit thread where the same allegation was made about ExpressVPN, again without any proof at all. His suspicion seemed to stem from trackers being present when logging into ExpressVPN. I can attest to there being some, e.g. Facebook and Google Analytics, but I have found I do not need to enable any of them with uMatrix to access my account. (I never enable Facebook or Google on my systems, except when I encounter the latter’s very occasional captchas.) I also never enable “chatting,”
As for “free” VPNs, I am always reminded of: “If it is free, YOU are the product.”
I think we have taken this thread off topic, so I’ll close with this post.