The Tor Project has launched a new cryptocurrency-based crowdfunding initiative aimed at supporting internet freedom and privacy tools amid growing financial pressure on nonprofit digital rights organizations.
The campaign introduces a Web3-focused funding model that uses quadratic funding to distribute matching donations across projects focused on anti-censorship technology, secure communications, and privacy-preserving infrastructure.
The initiative, launched in partnership with Funding the Commons, is hosted at internetfreedom.torproject.org and is also accessible as a Tor Onion Service. Donations will be accepted through June 18, 2026, in Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Zcash (ZEC), Monero (XMR), and Golem (GLM).
At launch, the campaign includes a $115,000 matching pool backed by cryptocurrency and privacy-focused organizations, including Cake Wallet, Zcash Community Grants, Logos, and Octant. According to the organizers, additional sponsors may join before the campaign concludes.
The Tor Project is a nonprofit organization best known for developing the Tor anonymity network, which enables users to browse the internet privately and bypass censorship. Tor software and related privacy tools are widely used by journalists, activists, whistleblowers, researchers, and citizens living under restrictive governments.
The campaign comes at a time when many internet freedom organizations are facing reduced funding and increasing operational costs. The Tor Project warned that some nonprofit projects have already been forced to reduce staffing, scale back infrastructure, or delay software development due to financial instability.
“Internet freedom has declined for 15 consecutive years,” the organization said, citing increasingly advanced censorship and surveillance systems worldwide.
Unlike traditional fundraising drives, the initiative uses quadratic funding, a participatory mechanism that rewards broad community support rather than large individual donations. Under the model, projects backed by many small contributors receive a larger portion of the matching pool compared to projects funded by only a few large donors.
Funding the Commons Director David Casey described the system as a way for institutional funding to follow community priorities instead of donor concentration.
“Any donation moves the match pool, no matter the size, putting weight behind the projects Tor users rely on every day,” Casey said.
The campaign currently supports 10 nonprofit projects working in internet freedom, censorship circumvention, and secure communication technologies:
- SecureDrop — A secure whistleblower submission platform used by journalists and major news organizations for anonymous document sharing.
- OpenArchive — Privacy-focused archiving tools designed for journalists, activists, and human rights defenders operating in high-risk environments.
- OnionShare — An open-source anonymous file-sharing and hosting tool that operates over the Tor network.
- Ricochet Refresh — A metadata-resistant instant messaging application built on Tor to protect user anonymity and communications.
- Onion Browser — A Tor-powered open-source web browser for iOS designed to bypass censorship and enhance privacy.
- OONI (Open Observatory of Network Interference) — A global observatory that monitors internet censorship, traffic interference, and network shutdowns worldwide.
- Paskoocheh (ASL19) — An anti-censorship and digital security platform that provides tools and educational resources for users in restrictive regions.
- Unredacted — Infrastructure supporting censorship circumvention through proxies, encrypted communications, and Tor relay services.
- Miaan Digital Security Help Desk — A digital security support initiative providing internet freedom tools and assistance for users in Iran.
- Osservatorio Nessuno — A project focused on protecting activists, journalists, and civil society organizations through secure software and privacy-focused technical support.
Supporters can donate directly to participating projects or contribute to the general matching pool through the campaign website or its Onion Service counterpart.
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