BUYER'S GUIDE
A complete, chronological walkthrough for accessing and using Nexus Market safely. Follow these steps meticulously to ensure operational security.
Environment Setup
Before accessing any .onion link, you must secure your browsing environment. Do not use a standard browser like Chrome or Firefox.
- Download the Tor Browser only from the official project website (torproject.org).
- Launch Tor and navigate to Settings > Privacy & Security.
- Set Security Level to "Safer". This disables JavaScript on non-HTTPS sites and prevents many common exploits.
Accessing Nexus Market
Phishing is the #1 cause of lost funds. Only use verified mirrors signed by the market's PGP key.
Upon loading the site, you will face a DDoS protection challenge. This may involve:
- Selecting rotating circles in order.
- A "Clock Captcha" (entering the time shown).
- Matrix-style text identification.
Account Creation
Create an account that cannot be linked to your real identity.
Username
Use a random string or phrase. Never use a handle you use on clearweb forums, Reddit, or Telegram.
Password
Generate a strong alphanumeric password (e.g., X7#m9$Lp2qZ). Do not reuse passwords.
CRITICAL: Mnemonic / PIN Code
Upon registration, Nexus Market will display a Mnemonic (a sequence of words) or a numeric PIN. You MUST save this immediately. If you lose your password, this is the only way to recover your account or reset your 2FA. Without it, your funds are lost forever.
PGP Setup (Mandatory)
Never rely on market passwords alone. PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) is required for 2FA and encrypting your address.
- Generate a new PGP Key Pair using software like Kleopatra (Windows) or GPG Keychain (Mac).
- Copy your Public Key block.
- Go to Nexus Market Settings > PGP.
- Paste your public key and click "Add".
- Decrypt the challenge message sent by the market to verify ownership.
- Enable 2FA: Once verified, enable Two-Factor Authentication in settings. You will now need to decrypt a message to log in every time.
Deposit Funds
Nexus Market uses a wallet system. You must deposit crypto before buying.
Navigate to the Wallet tab. Click "Generate Deposit Address". Send the exact amount you need plus a buffer for price fluctuations. Check the address twice.
Making a Purchase
Browse listings or use the search bar. Before buying, check the Vendor's stats.
- ✓ Look for Level 5+ Vendors with >98% Positive Feedback.
- ✓ Read recent reviews to ensure they are active.
- ✓ Check if they ship to your country.
IMPORTANT: Address Encryption
When you click "Buy Now", you will see an order form. NEVER paste your address in plain text.
1. Copy the Vendor's PGP Key from their profile.
2. Import it into your PGP software.
3. Write your address in a text editor.
4. Encrypt the text using the Vendor's Public Key.
5. Paste the encrypted block (starting with -----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE-----) into the order notes.
Finalization & Escrow
Understanding the payment flow is crucial to not getting scammed.
Standard Escrow
When you order, funds are held by the market (Escrow). The vendor ships the item. Once you receive it, log in and click "Finalize Order". This releases the funds to the vendor.
Warning: Finalize Early (FE)
Some listings require "FE". This means you release funds before receiving the item. Only do this for highly trusted, established vendors. If you FE and the package never comes, you have zero recourse.