Latest News on Dark Markets

Latest News on Dark Markets

Monitoring dark web markets is crucial, no matter if you are a business or an individual, as you can then proactively identify and mitigate potential breaches and cyber threats. DOJ cases confirm that criminals often purchase stolen card data from darknet shops such as Brian’s Club and then re-encode it onto physical cards for fraudulent transactions. This places the market squarely within verified financial-crime supply chains.

The Significance of This Data

Farwa is an experienced InfoSec writer and cybersecurity journalist skilled in writing articles related to cybersecurity, AI, DevOps, Big Data, Cloud security, VPNs, IAM, and Cloud Computing. Also a contributor on Tripwire.com, Infosecurity Magazine, Security Boulevard, DevOps.com, and CPO Magazine. Changing the Tor browser settings can further boost your security levels on the dark web shops. For instance, you can choose the preferred security levels for enhanced protection. The security level is set to ‘Standard’ by default, but you can change it to the ‘safest’ and enjoy more security while accessing the dark web. Despite using a VPN, there’s always a risk of the VPN leaking your IP address through DNS or WebRTC leaks or misconfigurations when on a dark web forum or marketplace.

Market features

• By following these suggestions, you can deter unwanted intruders from accessing your accounts at home or work.
• This list is not exhaustive, and there are many more types of onion sites on the dark net, including websites offering fraud services, botnet panels, file repositories for pirated media, forums for extremist groups, and more.
• Days later RuTor was targeted for another round of cyber attacks, this time by Killnet.
• The horizontal bars represent each market lifetime, i.e., the time when the market becomes active until its closure, and is colored according to the market’s monthly trading volume in USD.
• This not only improves the shopping experience but also fosters a sense of community within the darknet ecosystem.
• Nevertheless, most of the items in the darknet markets are illegal or heavily regulated.
• The goal is simple — make financial fraud easy and get as much attention as possible.

2a, where the overall ecosystem volume quickly recovers after market closures. This is an outcome of the ecosystem’s resilience, largely supported darknet markets links by the migration of users15. Correspondingly, the multihoming activity is a mechanism that contributes to the ecosystem’s resilience.

Security and Anonymity Features

Furthermore, inexperienced users unfamiliar with secure cryptocurrency practices are particularly susceptible to these threats, risking the loss of their entire funds. Kerberos Market is commonly cited by law‑enforcement and OSINT trackers as a newer, general‑purpose marketplace. Europol’s 2024 IOCTA notes Kerberos as a prominent “emerging” market, launched in 2022 with a focus on end‑user experience and security, a wide product mix (from drugs to digital items and stolen data), and Bitcoin/Monero support.

The Role of Cryptocurrencies in Enhancing Secure Trade on the Darknet

In 2013, the FBI shut down the Silk Road, but it was later relaunched in 2014 with the new name of Silk Road 2.0, but the German authorities shut it down in the same year. Other than the Silk Road 2.0, similar marketplaces also emerged, but they all went down sooner or later. The vendors aren’t required to register or apply for a vendor account while using this platform.

Platform Control

Let’s get this straight — not everything on the dark web is illegal or harmful. In fact, some parts of it actually provide a safe space for privacy and freedom, especially where traditional internet access is limited or censored. The dark web hosts a variety of illegal activities, many of which fuel cybercrime and real-world harm.

Trading Tips

However, you must wait some time to reassess this marketplace because it’s been shut down. It issued a press release revealing that, from December 2021, the website will no longer be functional. The website allows visitors to view all the goods and services on display before they buy something. However, the platform lacks an advanced search option and a wallet-free payment option.

• “After major exchanges delisted XMR, we observed a significant increase in bitcoin inflows,” Jardine said in an interview with CoinDesk.
• Founded in early 2023, shortly after major law enforcement operations shut down several competing platforms, Abacus quickly filled the void by prioritizing reliability, advanced security, and user anonymity.
• Therefore, the S2S network appears to be more resilient than the multiseller network but less than the multibuyer network.
• After that quarter, their number remains small, which is represented by the dashed line.
• Its catalog includes physical narcotics, digital goods, stolen accounts, and subscription bypass tools.
• The significance here is the preservation of civil liberties and the right to information.
• The DDoS attacks listed below are characterized by their target, number of access requests, quality, speed, and duration.

Russian Language Marketplaces Remain Drivers of Crypto Drug Sales: TRM Labs Report

This change persists until the end of the observed period of the data set (also see Supplementary Information S4). Torch is one of the more established dark web search engines, designed to help users navigate the Tor network and discover onion sites. Unlike traditional search engines like Google or DuckDuckGo, Torch indexes hidden websites that operate beyond the reach of the surface web. But users should always be cautious and avoid clicking unfamiliar or untrusted links to steer clear of scams or malware. Analyst write‑ups point to a wide spectrum of vendor‑run listings, with drugs typically dominant and fraud/digital‑goods categories active.

Criteria for Choosing the Best Dark-Web Marketplaces

Even users who access these platforms without intent to buy illegal items risk suspicion or investigation. Dark web markets have exploded in scale and reach in 2025, becoming the most dangerous hubs for trading drugs, stolen data, and hacking tools. These anonymous marketplaces—operating mainly on the Tor network—are now a primary threat vector for businesses and cybersecurity professionals. One of the key factors contributing to the growth of darknet markets is their ability to adapt to changing technological landscapes.

Size of listings

The integration of cryptocurrencies has played a pivotal role in this transformation, enabling seamless and anonymous transactions that are resistant to traditional financial oversight. One of the key developments in recent years has been the emergence of user-friendly interfaces and Tor-based marketplaces. These platforms have streamlined navigation, making it easier for users to access products, communicate with vendors, and complete transactions. For instance, markets like AlphaBay and Hansa have set benchmarks in terms of design and functionality, offering features such as escrow services, vendor ratings, and dispute resolution mechanisms. As the digital economy of darknet markets continues to thrive, the focus on secure online trade remains paramount. Platforms such as AlphaBay, Empire Market, and White House Market have set industry standards by prioritizing user safety and operational efficiency.

• Buyers send money to the marketplace, which in turn sends the money to the seller.
• Geopolitical tensions will likely fuel the rise of hacktivism and ransomware in the Middle East.
• It features over 40,000 listings including narcotics, counterfeit items, hacking tools, and stolen data.
• From identity theft to law enforcement surveillance, the dangers are real — and often underestimated.
• Abacus Market appeared on the scene in 2021 and quickly became one of the heavyweights among English-speaking markets on the dark web.
• Black traffic schemes—malicious landing pages promoted via deceptive ads—remained a constant threat.

Dangerous fake or malicious vendors

Concerns about how Meta treats user data have led many people to delete their Facebook profiles or at least limit their social media presence. Onion sites, or dark web websites, are sites on the dark web that can typically only be accessed using special software like the Tor browser. These sites use “.onion” domains, which are made up of random letters and numbers up to 56 characters long. Dark web websites won’t show up on Google, but they are indexed by dark web search engines such as Torch. Authorities struggle to track transactions in decentralized systems due to scarce data trails. The speed and anonymity of digital exchanges hinder identification, complicating efforts to dismantle illicit networks.

Security & Anonymity Model (as described publicly)

“Markets have sort of varying levels of sensitivity to fentanyl-related sales,” he said. “Some claim they don’t do it, then don’t police vendors; some claim they don’t do it, but then they do. Some will be selling precursor products but not finished products.” Unlike the surface web (the normal, open internet we use every day), you can’t search for .onion sit… The most important thing is to ensure that you never click on links that you’re not sure of their source. Also, it should be common knowledge not to share personal information online.

Like other marketplaces, ASAP Market also requires you to register for an account. But since its relaunch, the developers are focusing more on operational security and ensuring that users can have a good experience on this site. Below are the best marketplaces on the dark net that we hand-picked after going through multiple shops and doing extensive research.

We highlight that these networks exhibit different resilience regimes in the presence of external shocks, the ecosystem’s resilience being mostly guaranteed by the network of buyers rather than sellers. In recent years, some darknet markets and fraud shops have been integrating crypto payment processors on their websites via APIs, possibly as a way to improve operational efficiency and increase security. Essentially, these payment processors provide a white label service for darknet markets and fraud shops, and a seamless checkout experience for those services’ customers. UAPS, shown in the chart above, is one such example of a payment processor that many fraud shops, including the OFAC-designated Genesis Market, used in 2023. The value received by UAPS in this chart includes payments sent to multiple fraud shops using the service as a payment processor. Alphabay Market leads with 60,000+ listings and $20 million in monthly trades via BTC and XMR, dominating 20% of darknet marketplaces.

• These digital currencies provide a degree of anonymity, as transactions are recorded on a public ledger but do not directly link users to their real-world identities.
• Dark web marketplaces change frequently because they operate under constant pressure from law enforcement, internal fraud, and technical weaknesses.
• This encryption makes attribution and tracking more difficult for authorities and cybersecurity professionals.
• My interests lie in unraveling the hidden layers of the internet, including the Deep Web and Dark Web, and understanding their impact on cybersecurity.
• In panels (d, e), we show the median net income in USD of all sellers and buyers per quarter, respectively.
• Official-torzon.markets claims to be the official gateway to the “Torzon Market,” providing links, PGP verification information, and a Tor Browser guide.
• Onion sites, or dark web websites, are sites on the dark web that can typically only be accessed using special software like the Tor browser.

Migration of Criminal Activity Back to Dark Web Forums

The use of escrow systems and reputation-based feedback mechanisms has fostered trust among users, ensuring a smooth trading experience. As a result, darknet markets have become a hub for innovation, with new features and services being introduced regularly to meet the evolving needs of the community. You face significant risks when using dark markets, including scams where vendors take payment without delivering goods. There’s high exposure to malware and cybersecurity threats that can steal your personal information. Law enforcement agencies actively monitor these markets and can track users despite anonymity measures. Financial fraud is common, and you have no recourse if transactions go wrong since these markets operate outside legal frameworks.

Darknet markets were one of two categories of crypto crime that saw revenues rise in 2023. In total, darknet markets and fraud shops received $1.7 billion last year, a rebound from 2022 — the year that saw the sizable Hydra Marketplace close. The ensuing war for darknet market dominance that began in 2022 continued into 2023, but no other market has since matched Hydra’s financial success. Vice City Market runs 18,000+ listings and $2.5 million monthly trades on BTC and XMR, with a 5% share.

Darknet markets

“They show an affluent lifestyle with expensive apartments, luxury brands, but with a touch of illicit intrigue.” Many of Telegram’s Russian drug bloggers are most likely sponsored by new darknet drug shops. They often wear clothes with shop logos and publish price lists and post links. It’s not established yet how the drugs were brought to occupied Ukraine but the dealing network likely has some connection with Russian soldiers or non-combat staff. Some of these sites have turned to influencers to boost their publicity campaigns. Earlier this month a Kraken employee told Russian news website Lenta.ru that the market had a dedicated PR department.

The use of Tor networks and encrypted communication ensures that users can operate with a high degree of anonymity. Additionally, the development of user-friendly interfaces has made these platforms more accessible, attracting a broader audience. This has led to the emergence of specialized markets that focus on niche products, further diversifying the ecosystem.

Treat these as self‑reported marketing details rather than independently verified features; such pages are useful for understanding how the site portrays itself but can lag reality. Overall, Abacus Market distinguishes itself through rigorous security measures, effective moderation policies, and a strong emphasis on protecting user privacy. Despite minor accessibility inconveniences, these strengths have solidified its position among the top dark-web marketplaces in 2025. A Canadian market established in 2021, WTN offers over 9,000 products, including narcotics, fake goods, and digital services. It operates in both French and English and has built a reputation for ease-of-use.

• Technological advancements like AI-driven security, quantum-resistant encryption, and blockchain integration are reshaping the landscape, but simultaneously, global enforcement efforts grow more sophisticated and collaborative.
• These platforms, accessible through darknet websites and onion links, provide users with secure and anonymous transactions, primarily facilitated by cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
• Buyers simultaneously active on multiple markets also play the role of connectors in the ecosystem.
• Collaboration between law enforcement and cybersecurity experts, as well as innovations in defense strategies, will be crucial to counter the relentless tactics of cybercriminals.
• While centralized exchanges (CEXs) remain the dominant cash-out method, a notable shift has been toward decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols.
• Miklos founded Privacy Affairs in 2018 to provide cybersecurity and data privacy education to regular audiences by translating tech-heavy and “geeky” topics into easy-to-understand guides and tutorials.
• The unique part is that the platform offers free samples of stolen information, often to attract more customers.
• Jardine also emphasized the importance of using services that actively emphasize security in the decentralized finance space.
• The goal is understanding ecosystem behavior, not validating or promoting marketplace activity.

“Over the years some markets … developed a robust catalog of illicit services like money laundering, fiat offramping, and products that enable cyber-criminal activities like ransomware and malware attacks. One such sophisticated darknet market, Hydra, offered all that and more,” Chainalysis explained. Administrators and sellers on dark web marketplaces had a better 2023 than the previous year, pulling in an estimated $1.7bn in cryptocurrency-based revenues, according to new Chainalysis data. In total, there were 2,158 vendors who advertised at least one of the 96,672 product listings across the 30 marketplaces. On average, marketplaces had 109 unique vendor aliases and 3,222 product listings related to stolen data products.

Such markets are typically accessible through the Tor network, which anonymizes traffic by routing it through multiple relays and encrypting each layer. This encryption makes attribution and tracking more difficult for authorities and cybersecurity professionals. These innovations have transformed darknet markets into sophisticated ecosystems that cater to the needs of a diverse user base. The combination of Tor integration and user-centric design has set a new standard for secure online trade, ensuring that these platforms remain at the forefront of the digital economy. One of the key factors driving this evolution is the adoption of Tor-based platforms, which provide a high level of anonymity and security. By leveraging the decentralized nature of the Tor network, users can engage in transactions without exposing their identities or compromising their privacy.

Silk Road might seem like a distant memory by now, but darknet markets have persisted. And while the number of markets appears to be on the decline, those that remain are making more money than ever before. According to the report, in 2023, crypto-linked OFAC sanctions shifted toward groups and individual actors and away from major darknet markets like Garantex and Hydra, as well as mixers like Tornado Cash. The Chainalysis 2024 Crypto Crime Report highlights a $1.7 billion revenue surge in darknet markets and a rise in crypto-linked sanctions and new scam trends. The increased use of DeFi comes amid tight regulations on centralized exchanges. With stricter Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) measures, illicit actors are facing greater challenges when attempting to cash out.

We find that the dominance of markets is reflected in trading properties of buyers and sellers. Then, we investigate both market star-graphs and user-to-user networks, and highlight the importance of a new class of users, namely ‘multihomers’, who operate on multiple marketplaces concurrently. Specifically, we show how the networks of multihomers and seller-to-seller interactions can shed light on the resilience of the dark market ecosystem against external shocks. Our findings suggest that understanding the behavior of key players in dark web marketplaces is critical to effectively disrupting illegal activities. Today, darknets are populated by a vast array of users, ranging from privacy-conscious individuals to cybercriminals, hacktivists, and nation-state actors. These hidden networks provide a platform for illegal activities that include the sale of stolen data, hacking tools, weapons, counterfeit currency, and narcotics.

Abacus Market operated as a central deposit wallet, multisignature darknet marketplace supporting both Bitcoin and Monero cryptocurrencies. Abacus Market, the largest Bitcoin-enabled Western darknet marketplace, has likely executed an exit scam after going offline in early July 2025, according to blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs. The cybersecurity challenges seen in 2024 highlight the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of cyber threats. As cryptors, loaders, and stealers become more sophisticated, and underground markets remain resilient, organizations must prioritize robust cybersecurity measures in 2025.

Just like Alpha Bay, Drugs and Chemicals is one of the most popular product categories in the Empire Market. Nearly half of the marketplaces launched in 2024 accepted only Monero, representing a sharp increase from just over one-third in 2023, signaling a growing preference for enhanced privacy and anti-surveillance capabilities. Between June 1 and June 27, 2025, average daily deposits to Abacus totaled USD 230,000 across 1,400 transactions, but this plummeted to just USD 13,000 across 100 deposits from June 28 to July 10, 2025. Ransomware groups are anticipated to split into smaller, independent units, making them harder to track. Such decentralization, along with the reuse of leaked malware source codes, will allow new, low-skilled actors to enter the ransomware ecosystem.

As these platforms continue to evolve, they remain at the forefront of secure online trade, offering unparalleled opportunities for those who value privacy and efficiency. One of the most notable trends in recent years is the development of user-friendly interfaces that mimic mainstream e-commerce platforms. This shift has not only enhanced the overall user experience but also attracted a broader audience to darknet marketplaces. Features such as advanced search filters, customer reviews, and escrow systems have become standard, ensuring transparency and trust between buyers and sellers. Torrez Market powers 30,000+ listings and $6 million monthly trades with BTC and XMR, securing a 9% share.

Founded in early 2023, shortly after major law enforcement operations shut down several competing platforms, Abacus quickly filled the void by prioritizing reliability, advanced security, and user anonymity. Dark-web marketplaces operate through encrypted networks, primarily utilizing anonymity-enhancing technologies such as Tor (The Onion Router) and I2P (Invisible Internet Project). These technologies obscure users’ identities and locations by routing their internet traffic through multiple volunteer-operated servers worldwide, making it extremely difficult to trace activities back to individuals.