Escrow vs multisig — explained for darknet-market buyers

Platform escrow is the simplest model: buyer funds a platform-controlled wallet at order placement, the platform releases to the vendor on order confirmation. The platform holds the only key on the escrow funds for the duration of the order. The structural risk is obvious: if the platform exits, the in-escrow balance goes with it.

2-of-3 multisignature escrow distributes the funding contract across three keys: buyer, vendor, and platform. Funds cannot be released without two of the three signing. The buyer signs to release on order confirmation, the vendor counter-signs; on dispute, the platform’s signature breaks the deadlock. A platform attempting an exit-scam under multisig has to convince a majority of vendors to actively co-sign their own losses, which has not happened in the post-Hydra era and would be visible on-chain within minutes.

Both Anubis and Nexus run 2-of-3 multisig as the default settlement contract. Anubis routes new vendor accounts into multisig by default and gates non-multisig listings to vetted veterans; Nexus offers single-sig as an opt-in fallback. For new buyers the directory recommends multisig in every case where the option is available.