Darknet Trading Glossary for New Users

• Onion: A hidden service address ending in .onion that routes traffic through the Tor network to mask server and client identities.
• Mirror: An alternate entrance point to the same market database. Different URLs lead to the exact same backend system.
• Escrow: A neutral fund held by the platform until both buyer and vendor fulfill their obligations.
• XMR: The symbol for Monero, the cryptocurrency used as the base reserve currency for all internal balances.
• PGP: Pretty Good Privacy, a suite of encryption programs that signs messages and secures file transfers.
• Fingerprint: An alphanumeric identifier derived from a PGP public key, used to verify authentic sources.
• 2FA: Two factor authentication requiring a second credential beyond the password, such as a TOTP code or PGP signature.
• Anti phishing phrase: A custom word selected by the user that displays during login to detect spoofed sessions.
• Dispute: A formal complaint filed by either party when expectations regarding goods or payments are not met.
• Finalize: The automatic release of escrowed funds to the vendor after a defined period passes without conflict.
• Vendor bond: A deposit required to open a seller account, waivable with PGP proof, protecting buyers from empty storefronts.
• Rotation: The scheduled change of a market's onion address to obscure connection patterns and improve anonymity.