This increase may be due in part to the closures of top DNMs, the shift to the exclusive acceptance of XMR by other active markets, and delistings of XMR by popular centralized exchanges. The below graph shows an increase in Abacus sales (in BTC) following the closure of ASAP Market in July 2023, and a further increase following some CEXs delisting XMR. When looking at crypto inflows to DNMs in 2024, the data indicate that wholesale drug purchases were dominant, averaging between 71 and 81% of this year’s total market share. We have simplified the cybersecurity assessment process and made it accessible for all businesses.
While darknet markets will likely continue to exist for the foreseeable future, it is clear that they are facing increasing competition from more secure and decentralized alternatives. However, in recent years, darknet markets have experienced a significant decline in popularity. Despite the efforts of law enforcement and the emergence of decentralized marketplaces, darknet markets are still very much alive and well.
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Employee training programs enhance awareness of phishing schemes and social engineering attacks. The adoption of multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security, reducing the likelihood of unauthorized access. Additionally, deploying endpoint protection solutions safeguards devices from malware and other malicious activities. Providers like Darktrace offer AI-driven security solutions that adapt to emerging threats, ensuring comprehensive protection across all endpoints. Small businesses have become prime targets for dark web services offering leaked credentials, insider threats, and ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS). The accessibility of RaaS has lowered the barrier for cybercriminals, resulting in a 45% surge in ransomware attacks on small enterprises in 2024.
Retail vendors appear to be holding a greater portion of their proceeds on-chain than wholesale vendors, while wholesale vendors (those who distribute drugs in large quantities) are making greater use of DeFi. Given these threats, it is imperative for small businesses to conduct regular cybersecurity assessments and implement robust security measures to protect their assets and maintain customer trust. This article dives deep into 2025 dark web statistics, offering a clear, data-driven view of what’s happening below the surface.
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- The protection will apply to all your devices so you can browse and send communications without fear of your data being compromised.
- These new niche sites are focused on specific illicit goods, offering enhanced security and a more targeted environment for buyers and sellers.
- The merchants turned to private goldsmiths, who were accustomed to safekeeping precious metals.
- This material is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice.
- In 2023, the dark web attracted an average of 2.7 million daily users, with Germany now leading as the country with the highest number of Tor users, surpassing the United States for the first time in years.
They’re typically reachable only via an anonymizing network – aka darknet – such as Tor or I2P. In addition to dark web markets, hacker forums are one of the dark web platforms where sales are made. The dark web remains a concealed segment of the internet, accessible only through specialized tools like Tor, where illicit activities, data breaches, and cybercriminal marketplaces thrive. 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.
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Another striking trend is marketplace turnover, the average lifespan is now just 7.5 months, making it difficult for users to rely on any single platform long-term. Adding to that, encrypted and mobile-friendly markets now account for 22% dark web traffic, which aligns with the rising adoption of Tor on smartphones. Whether you’re a journalist, policymaker, or everyday internet user, these changes shape how we understand privacy, security, and risk online. In this blog, we’ll reveal how the dark web is being used in 2025, which countries are driving curiosity, and what the latest data reveals about access trends. However, overall the sector has fragmented somewhat from the days when Silk Road, AlphaBay, Wall Street Market and Hydra ruled the roost. Today, no single player is dominant like these marketplaces were before their takedown, with administrators preferring to specialize in particular types of goods and services.
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It is one of the most active and up to date markets and always provides new and updated malware and data. However, as law enforcement agencies became more aware of the existence of these markets, they began to crack down on them. Several high-profile busts, including the takedown of the Silk Road in 2013, sent shockwaves through the darknet community and led to the closure of many popular marketplaces. On the other hand, the consequences of credit card fraud can be devastating for the victim. They might lose their savings, face legal issues, and have their credit score damaged. Users must be aware of the risks involved in using Bitcoin and the Darknet Markets and exercise caution when engaging in any transactions.
Market Value And Popularity
Dark web marketplaces are online marketplaces where people can buy and sell illicit goods and services under the protection of the anonymity of the dark web. The goods and services on offer range from leaked credit card details, exploit kits and hackers for hire, to advertisements for hitmen services. The advent of the internet has brought about various technological advancements and innovative ways of conducting business. One of these innovative ways is the use of cryptocurrencies in conducting transactions. This is achieved through the use of encryption technologies such as Tor and VPNs, which ensure that all transactions are conducted anonymously. Anonymity is crucial in darknet markets because it allows buyers and sellers to engage in transactions without the fear of being caught by law enforcement agencies.
Law enforcement agencies have become increasingly sophisticated in their efforts to track users on these markets. Users should exercise caution and take steps to protect their privacy, such as using a VPN and avoiding sharing personal information. Like hacker forums, critical data such as VIP credentials, employee data, and espionage information are sold in dark web markets as well. The part that highlights the Infinity forum as a dark web market and creates a cyber threat is the Hack Shop section. In addition to sharing and selling many tools and exploits, it is among the products sold in DDoS, frequently used by Russian hacktivist groups. Users could search for vendors selling their desired type of identification document – for example, U.S. passports or drivers’ licenses – and filter or sort by the item’s price.
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As a result, it has become much more difficult for darknet markets to operate and attract new users. As we’ll cover later, a majority of sellers use dark web marketplaces to defraud and scam users. However, as mentioned, dark web marketplaces are mostly used for illicit trade and illegal activities, which is why you need to avoid them unless you’re confident about your network security. It was founded by Ross William Ulbricht, who is now serving a life sentence in prison for his role in Silk Road.
Law enforcement agencies have continued their efforts to combat these markets, resulting in periodic shutdowns and arrests of key individuals. However, the resilient nature of the darknet community ensures that new markets quickly emerge, operating using different technologies and strategies to avoid detection. Keeper has millions of consumer customers and the business solution protects thousands of organizations worldwide. A 2019 study, Into the Web of Profit, conducted by Dr. Michael McGuires at the University of Surrey, shows that things have become worse. The number of dark web listings that could harm an enterprise has risen by 20% since 2016. Of all listings (excluding those selling drugs), 60% could potentially harm enterprises.
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Users may encounter scams, unreliable sellers, or law enforcement operations targeting these platforms. It is important to exercise caution and conduct thorough research before making any purchases or sharing personal information. That CTR allowed investigators to trace Engstrom’s deposits to his personal crypto wallets totaling $3 million—money that investigators believe come from dark web cocaine sales.
And then there’s malware—click the wrong link or download the wrong file, and your device could get infected. The first ever darknet market was, of course, Silk Road, launched by Ross Ulbricht in 2011. One of the first big use cases for bitcoin, Silk Road quickly turned into an internet phenomenon, until it was shut down by law enforcement in 2013. Ulbricht has since been convicted to a double life sentence plus 40 years in prison.
Known for its publicity stunt releasing millions of stolen card details for free, BidenCash specializes in credit card fraud and identity theft. Learn the risks, why identity is the new perimeter, and how monitoring protects your data. The question of whether darknet markets are still prevalent in today’s digital landscape is a complex one. As of now, these markets continue to operate, albeit in a more clandestine manner compared to past years.
This concentration shows that while new entrants appear frequently, only a handful manage to attract significant user trust and volume. In fact, new markets are popping up every 3 to 4 weeks, proving that the cycle of closures and launches is alive and well. After the UAPS infrastructure takedown, we observed a swift decline in on-chain activity from UAPS counterparties, indicating that many fraud shops relied on this infrastructure to process customer payments. The chart below shows this counterparty decline, as well as a drop in crypto flows across the fraud shop ecosystem.
