Every day, someone or a group of individuals somewhere are thinking of how to make the darknet better and safer by bringing a new market with better features that guarantee anonymity.
This has led to the creation of a new market – Torrez. The marketplace opened its doors in February this year and brags it is the first "Community Driven Market," meaning that the creators of the market have allowed the users to decide the direction the market takes in matters development.
The market users are protected through multisig payments where possible. That's why Torrez has developed a walletless based system where users can only send funds to the market when placing an order.
Our guide will take you through this market by explaining how to use it and tell you its unique features that make it stand out.
Accessing Torrez
You need the Tor browser to access the darknet, so you must update it if you are using an old version.
Then you must ensure you have a good VPN software installed on your PC. Once you have a VPN, switch it on and then Launch Tor.
While on Tor disable JavaScript to avoid putting yourself at risk, then proceed and access the market through http://yxuy5oau7nugw4kpb4lclrqdbixp3wvc4iuiad23ebyp2q3gx7rtrgqd.onion/.
Because of the ongoing DDoS attacks on markets, you can get the mirrors here http://yxuy5oau7nugw4kpb4lclrqdbixp3wvc4iuiad23ebyp2q3gx7rtrgqd.onion/mirrors.txt.
So, upon entering the market URL, you will be on your way into the market.
The first step is as shown below. Here, you enter the Captcha and then proceed to {Submit}. The Captcha is meant to prevent DDoS attacks.
The next page after the Captcha is the login page.
For new users, you can start on {Create new account} as shown above, but if you are a returning customer, you can proceed and log in.
The registration process is straight forward. You need to enter a username, password, invitation code if you have one and the Captcha the proceed to {Register}.
After that, a mnemonic is displayed, which you have to copy it somewhere so that you can use it to retrieve your password incase you forget it.
So, while on this step, just copy and paste the Mnemonic and then {Submit}.
Successful registration
Your account is now active, and you can proceed to login.
After a successful login, you are now on the market homepage and are set to begin using Torrez. .
Account Settings
To make sure your account is safe, we start on {My account} as shown below. This option enables you to view your profile and perform basic and advanced account settings.
The {My Profile} option gives you an overview of the account over time. You can view your date of registration, last seen, transaction history, buyer statistics, and feedback on this page.
Next on {My Account}, we have {Edit profile}; this option is used to add and/or edit details relating to the user. They include- jabber account, profile status, avatar image. Your password can be changed here too.
After making the said changes make sure you {Save}
The last part is {Account security}. On this page, you can set up two-factor authentication (2FA).
Torrez currently has two ways that one can use to set up 2FA. The first involved the use of a PGP key, and the second one, which is not common in many markets, is TOTP or Time-based One-Time Password.
To use TOTP, you will need to download an application such as Google Authenticator or Authy on your smartphone. Torrez recommends KeePassXC included in Tails.
Categories
The next part is the categories located on the sidebar, as is the case with a majority of many other marketplaces.
The physical and non-physical products in this market are split into seven main categories.
Searching the Market
Just like all other markets, you can browse through Torrez in two main ways. The first is by doing an advanced search using the search bar, as shown below.
By entering a keyword and selecting a category, your search will be quick and straightforward.
The second way to search the market involves going through the categories and subcategories manually.
When you are searching through the categories, the items appear on the right side.
Grid and List View
The link ‘How to buy’ has very important information, and on this page it is explained that when buying, one can choose a grid or list view.
We also learn that when using the advanced search option as explained earlier, you can filter and sort out the results.
Choosing a Product to Buy
Part one of buying involves selecting the product from the categories or browsing through the marketplace.
In our case, our choice is as below.
Checking Vendor profile
A page like the one below is then displayed. Here we can get useful information such as the product description, feedback from customers, and read about the refund policy.
Also, you directly PM the vendor asking them about the particular product. Before you start buying, check the vendor profile by clicking on their username, as shown above.
The page below is then displayed. Here, you can check when the seller joined the market, their last seen, successful transactions, feedback, PGP key, among other vital info.
The information on this page is what helps you decide on whether or not to use this seller. Just make sure the vendor has sufficient positive feedback.
Buying Explained
With all the above processes complete, you are ready to {Buy}
The page below is then displayed. Here you fill out your order details.
As earlier explained, the buying process on this market is different because you do not have to send cryptocurrency to your balance. After all, the market has embraced a walletless system, which is explained in the 'How to buy' segment.
To buy, you start by choosing a cryptocurrency of choice. The market currently supports four cryptocurrencies- Bitcoin, Monero, Litecoin, and Zcash.
One can use any of the above currencies for simple escrow, but for multisig escrow, the option is limited to Bitcoin and Litecoin.
Also, the payment method is determined on what the seller accepts as not all vendors accept all the above forms of payment.
With that in mind, you proceed and fill the options above. You need to enter a bitcoin address incase of refunds and a corresponding public key for multisig escrow.
Then you will have another place to fill the block's target in the event of a refund.
You then fill in shipping information and any other useful information for the vendor. You can now proceed and {Place an Order}.
The next page is as displayed below, where you review the order and previous details.
Upon confirmation, you can proceed to the final part and {Place and order}.
Next is where you have the option of sending the payment.
On this page, there is a PGP encrypted message from the market on the wallet you are to use and the amount to pay.
After sending the payment, you can track the progress at the bottom of this page, as shown above.
Now that you know the most important parts of Using Torrez, we will explore the other features of the market.
Messaging Center
This is the {Communication center} and is located on the header. All communication with other vendors on the market is seen on this page, and they are encrypted by default- a feature not available in most markets.
Even though messages are encrypted, users are advised to further encrypt conversations on their own when using Torrez.
As a warning, a message is displayed to users not to finale early to avoid falling victim to scam. Also, a customer should take note of the recipient as all support staff accounts have an [Admin] badge.
Support
The {support} is located on the header, and users can contact the admins of the marketplace through this option.
To start communication, click {Open support Ticket}, as shown above. In some markets, it is not possible to open a support ticket unless you have purchased a product.
The next page is displayed below. Please make sure you go through the FAQs first before opening a ticket as it will save time.
Here you enter the title, message, and then proceed to {Send}. The admins will respond to your ticket in the shortest time possible, so please be patient.
Night mode
The option is available for those who want to change the theme to dark mode, as seen below.
Though unimportant, some people prefer to have darker themes, and Torrez got you covered on that.
Fiat Currency
Next, users can choose a currency of their choice. The option is found on the far right of the header.
For easier conversions, and the fact that darknet customers are located in different parts of the world, the different currencies make conversions easier as one can use the one, they are fond of.
Become a Vendor
Any user can be a vendor on Torrez. The option {Become a Vendor} is available of the sidebar just below {Categories}, as seen below.
On this page, one can apply for a vendor account and pay via crypto.
Currently, there two types of vendor Accounts:
- Pay as You Go – This Vendor type is for all Vendors who are not selling regularly or selling a minimal number of items. The Vendor bond is $100.00, the vendor can have only ten active listings at the same time, and the fee for each order is between 4%-6%.
- Regular – This Vendor type is for all other Vendors. The Vendor bond is $250.00, and there is no listing limit. The fee for every order is between 2%-4%.
If you are a vendor in a reputable market, you can get a waiver on the fee by providing proof of PGP.
Checking Orders
To check orders, refer to the sidebar and click on {Your Orders}.
On this page, you will see the history and status of all orders.
Affiliate Program
Like many markets out there, Torrez has an affiliate program meaning that you can earn by referring users to this marketplace.
The {Affiliate program} section is found on the left sidebar.
Once you select it, you will be displayed with a set of rules that you need to read and agree to join. After reading, proceed to {Yes}, as shown above.
The page below is then displayed.
On this page, you can keep track of all the statistics related to the affiliate program.
Useful Links on the Market
On the footer of the market page, there are some handy links. If you have any queries about the market, please refer to this section of the page, and you will probably find the answer.
On that note, we come to the end of our guide and hope it helps you to use the market safely.
