In a step forward for the leading privacy coin on the market, a popular Monero wallet provider has announced a version of their web wallet for popular dark web browser Tor.

Announced in a post on the r/Monero subreddit, xmrwallet.com’s owner said the provider had seen high demand for an anonymous version of their web wallet. While Monero provides users the ability to transact privately due to a system of Ring Signatures, Stealth Addresses, and Ring Confidential Transactions, accessing one’s wallet from a .onion Tor domain offers another level of security and anonymity.

The wallet is available at xmrwalletdatuxds.onion. The regular web-based version will still operate from xmrwallet.com.

Tor, or “The Onion Router” (hence its use of .onion domains) is popular with advocates of private browsing. It works by relaying traffic through an overlay network, encrypting data so users’ online activity cannot be tracked.

The browser has come to the public view in recent years by enabling the “dark web”. The dark web is an online ecosystem in which people use the anonymity provided to engage largely in illegal activities, such as buying and selling of illicit drugs.

The most well-known case is that of Silk Road, a Tor-based dark web marketplace. Silk Road’s founder Ross Ulbricht was sentenced to two life sentences in jail in February 2015, after his 2013 arrest in relation to his role with the site.

Monero enthusiasts may celebrate the news, as it gives users end-to-end privacy for their XMR transactions. Yet, it is likely to offer further ammunition for those opposed to privacy-centric currencies.

Monero holders have recently been subject to scrutiny from leading exchange Changelly. The exchange is said to have been withholding transactions of XMR under concerns surrounding the coin’s use for illegal dark web activities.

On the surface, it appears to be progress for the XMR community. But the biggest challenge Monero continues to face is the stigma of the dark web, which doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon.

Andrew is a writer and digital marketer from New Zealand, now based out of South East Asia. Along with his work in many areas of the e-commerce space, Andrew has a keen interest in cryptocurrency, especially altcoins and projects focused on mainstream crypto adoption