WeTheNorth Market is a Canadian-focused Tor storefront that has been active since the second half of 2021. Unlike the larger international markets that dominate reader mail, WeTheNorth targets a specific national audience with a smaller and more specialised vendor pool. This reading covers what the storefront is, who it is for, and what distinguishes it from its larger peers.
Canadian focus
WeTheNorth was set up as a market for Canadian vendors and Canadian buyers. Most vendors ship domestically within Canada. Most buyers pay in Canadian-preferred coin flows. Shipping windows tend to be shorter than international because the majority of orders never cross a border. This is the single distinguishing feature.
Buyers outside Canada can and do use the storefront, but most vendors either do not ship internationally or charge a substantial international premium.
Size and pool
Smaller than the international markets by an order of magnitude. Vendor count in the low hundreds. Category tree narrower than an international market like Nexus or Anubis. Buyer base concentrated in a handful of Canadian provinces with the most active reader mail from Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia.
Escrow model
Standard 2 of 3 multisig on every deposit. Three keys, two release. Platform holds one, buyer and vendor hold the others. Same architecture as the larger markets, same guarantees for the buyer against operator custody.
Coin support
Bitcoin at launch. Monero added later and now the default for new accounts. Litecoin has been discussed but not currently supported.
Why the storefront exists
Canadian buyers who want to shop with Canadian vendors were being pushed onto international storefronts where the vendor pool did not fit their needs. The domestic focus reduces shipping friction, reduces customs interaction risk, and gives Canadian vendors a market they can specialise in.