Onion Market is a fairly new marketplace that first launched in June 2025. The market is based in New Zealand and primarily focuses on that region, while also operating in Australia. It claims to be operated by a former New Zealand–based vendor who is familiar with the local scene. The platform places a strong emphasis on privacy, aiming to provide a highly secured shopping experience. Onion Market specializes in illicit drugs and does not offer any digital goods sections.
Design and Interface
Onion Market is well built while maintaining a very basic, minimal design. There is nothing particularly unique about its appearance, but the interface is straightforward and easy to use, offering everything needed for a comprehensive darknet shopping experience. Categories can be navigated easily through the sidebar, and multiple filter options are available on every category page. The platform also includes a built-in forum.
Payments and Security
All transactions on Onion Market must be paid using Monero. This is one of the main factors behind its strong privacy focus, as Monero is widely regarded as one of the most secure privacy-focused cryptocurrencies available. The market does not have a built-in wallet, meaning orders must be paid directly during checkout. All transactions are protected by a traditional escrow system.
During registration, users are required to provide a PGP key. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is also mandatory, adding an extra layer of account security by default. PGP is additionally used for communications conducted on the platform.
Conclusion
Onion Market is a niche marketplace focused primarily on New Zealand, with operations extending into Australia. Growth has been relatively slow so far, with around 200 unique product listings currently available. Despite the limited growth and simple design, the market appears to be a solid option for the region, particularly due to its strict security standards, including Monero-only payments and mandatory PGP and 2FA. Over time, it will become clearer how much the platform can expand, especially given its focus on the Australasian market.
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