Toronto, Ontario–(Newsfile Corp. – April 26, 2023) –  An anonymous development team with OG crypto connections announced the launch of a new protocol designed to incentivize and maximize the adoption of the Tor network. The protocol, called ATOR, develops a new network that operates by building and selling routers and relays, and paying running nodes using an on-chain Proof of Uptime mechanism.

ATOR strives to address the shortcomings of Tor’s current network, which relies solely on volunteers to keep it operational for its 2 million daily users. This predominantly altruistic mechanism for a relatively small number of relays in a global network has led to several drawbacks for Tor and its users, including slow browsing speeds, inconsistent uptime quality, and limited scalability. Additionally, the association of Tor with the Dark Web has led to negative press and a lack of adoption by mainstream users.

ATOR’s solution is to provide incentives for the creation and maintenance of routers and relays, thereby increasing the number and quality of relays in the network. The ATOR protocol will enable the building and selling of routers and relays using cryptocurrency payments, with nodes being paid for their uptime using an on-chain Proof of Uptime mechanism. This mechanism ensures that only relays with consistently high uptimes will receive payment, thereby incentivising high-quality, and reliable nodes.

Furthermore, ATOR’s Proof-of-Uptime protocol incentivizes the creation and maintenance of Tor relays by offering ATOR tokens. By encouraging users to contribute to the network, ATOR aims to strengthen the Tor network and accommodate more volume. Existing Tor nodes can be whitelisted into the ATOR Proof-of-Uptime protocol, allowing them to mine ATOR without disrupting their current operations.

The company also facilitates relay hardware and a router that enables non-technical users to contribute to Tor and mine ATOR. Built on the encryption standards of Tor, ATOR ensures complete privacy and anonymity, making it an ideal solution for those who require anonymity at scale. Overall, ATOR aims to facilitate wider adoption of secure network relay protocols and strengthen the security of the Tor network through on-chain incentives

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The project’s roadmap is ambitious. The project launched its ERC-20 token in February 2023, with a maximum of 100 million ATOR tokens issued, and around 63 million currently in circulation. The node rewards appear small, but the team has openly admitted that the reward algorithm will be modified in the future to incorporate further sources of relay rewards.

The team showcased a working prototype of a Tor Router Microcontroller at EthDenver, which is a positive sign of the project’s credibility. The release of instructional open-source code in April 2023 is a good step towards giving confidence to the Tor community and signaling the team’s expertise and credibility.

The second phase of the project involves integrating Tor with ERC20 incentives and developing a dashboard to onboard Tor nodes. The Proof of Uptime concept will be implemented in Q3 2023. The third phase of the project involves transitioning to independence, where the team plans to release their own router hardware and on-chain. The release of own relay hardware is planned for Q1 2024, and a transition to longer-term token incentives is planned for Q2 2024. This final phase involves the release of ‘ATOR Hidden Services’ – allowing users to use web3 on top of the blockchain in return for ATOR. It is a real utility and brings sustainability to the entire protocol, truly an end-to-end solution.

The fourth and final phase of the project involves privacy absolute with LoRa. The team plans to release prototypes for ‘last-mile’ LoRa routers in Q2 2024. These dedicated hardware devices will relay packets using long wave radio to existing relays that then plug into the main Tor network. There are considerations that need to be met, such as open-source router hardware and firmware based on reputable and reliable Tor project-approved code, configurable routers, and updatable Tor browsers. The routers need to be powerful, reliable, and affordable, and the team needs to involve the ATOR community to ensure the project’s success.

In addition to that, ATOR has the potential to be a game-changer for the Tor network and its users, providing faster browsing speeds, increased reliability, and enhanced privacy for all users. With the launch of ATOR, the development team hopes to see a surge in adoption of the Tor network by mainstream users who value their privacy and security online.

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About the Company – ATOR

ATOR is a platform that strives to increase the adoption of the Tor network by incentivizing the creation and maintenance of Tor relays. By utilizing on-chain rewards through their Proof-of-Uptime protocol, ATOR encourages users to route encrypted traffic and contribute to the growth of the network.

In addition, existing Tor nodes can be whitelisted into ATOR Proof-of-Uptime, allowing them to mine ATOR while continuing to operate as usual. The platform also provides relay hardware and a router that enables non-technical users to contribute to Tor and mine ATOR, making it accessible to a wider audience. ATOR ensures complete privacy and anonymity through its built-in encryption standards, making it an ideal solution for users seeking anonymity at scale.

For more information about ATOR and its development team, please visit https://ator.io/.

Media Details:
Company Name: ATOR
Contact Email Address: [email protected]

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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/163839