During these arrests, police also seized two vehicles and cryptocurrency valued at more than €8 million. However, respondents from these partner countries are not included in the analysis presented in this report. Occasionally, EU Member States construct their own market size estimates for drugs that are particularly relevant at the national level. For example, Czech authorities have developed an estimate for the market size of methamphetamine, the most prevalent synthetic stimulant used in the country. In 2021, 193 bulk listings of herbal cannabis were observed (see Table Quantity and price details of bulk herbal cannabis listings shipping from EU, 2021).
- While new markets will undoubtedly emerge to replace them, the success of international law enforcement efforts demonstrates that even the most elusive criminals can be brought to justice.
- Thus, any estimate of the size of the illicit cannabis market is restricted to herbal cannabis and cannabis resin.
- Abacus alone represented nearly 5 per cent of total DNM revenue, underscoring the ongoing scale of underground commerce.
- These markets rely on encryption, escrow systems, and vendor ratings to function in a trustless environment.
- People visit this market to buy stolen credit cards, personal data, remote desktop account credentials, and logs gathered from information-stealing malware.
What Is The Darknet Market?
Quality and validity of the data it provides justify its higher cost over other marketplaces. The platform’s popularity continues to grow, attracting both new and returning customers. Valued at approximately $15 million, Abacus Market is one of the most lucrative platforms in the dark web ecosystem. In 2024, the platform grew significantly in popularity, partly because of its strategic acquisition of users from a number of recently shut-down marketplaces, such as AlphaBay and Incognito Market, which had recently closed their doors. By supplying stolen data, these dark web links fuel many online scams and identity theft operations, playing a critical role in the darker aspects of the internet.
This shows that while the dark web gets all the attention, it’s far from the internet’s biggest problem. Usually these products are sent to the buyer by post and money transferred to the seller through the escrow system. Exodus Marketplace emerged in early 2024 as a successor to Genesis Market, focusing on malware-harvested device logs. It reportedly controls around 7,000 infected endpoints across 190 countries Top 10 Dark Web Markets.
Associated Data
The Republic of Karelia and the Chukotka have higher drug use rates than other regions of similar populations. Opiate usage is widespread in some areas, although it is significantly less common than cannabis use. Compared to other regions, Krasnodar’s rate of 22.50 g of opiates per 100,000 people is exceptionally high. Figure 4 illustrates the distribution of opiates by region, setting the stage for the subsequent discussion on regional public health impacts. The research did not require the use of human participants or private information that could identify individuals. All data analyzed were aggregated, public data, hence protected against the collection or processing of personal data or any identifiable information.
World’s Biggest Darknet Marketplace, Russia-linked Hydra Market, Seized And Shut Down, DOJ Says
The higher income, digitalization of the citizens, and higher education levels can explain this. The open-source nature of all analytical instruments (Python, R, PHP hypertext preprocessor, a scripting language) allows further research to repeat or continue our study on other darknet platforms to investigate other regional specifics. Marijuana usage is widespread and accounts for a disproportionate share of all illicit drug consumption. This aligns with prevalent beliefs worldwide, as cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance. The map in Figure 4 demonstrates the daily supply volumes of opiates, measured throughout the year and brought to average. Looking at this picture, we can say that opiate supply is most common in the Northern Caucasus and Southern Siberia regions and Central Russia and less common in the “rich” regions.
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Learn how to automate financial risk reports using AI and news data with this guide for product managers, featuring tools from Webz.io and OpenAI. One of the biggest problems cybersecurity teams face isn’t a lack of tools — it’s too many alerts. While this topic may seem distant for most people, understanding how these spaces operate is crucial. It helps us stay more vigilant, better protect ourselves, and make informed decisions online. They use pseudonymous wallets, privacy coins (like Monero), mixers, chain-hopping, and non-KYC platforms to obscure transaction trails. It has a bidding feature, with new batches of stolen data being frequently added.
Silk Road 2.0 was launched soon after the original Silk Road was seized and since that time there has been a proliferation of darknet markets.. The new darknet markets are designed in such a way that they are practically untraceable, not the people who buy drugs on these darknet markets, not the owners of these markets. The discoverer of silcroad spent a lot of time without using advanced technologies, but now everything is different, crypto transactions are encrypted much more difficult, PGP keys have become more encrypted combinations, etc. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about your safety, the programmers of the darknet markets have taken care of this for a long time.
Typical Use-Cases Of Dark-Web Marketplaces In 2025
A lot of vendors from all over the world are registered here, offering an extensive range of products, including digital services, security tools, and other equipment. For those who are looking for a reliable Alphabay Market alternative, Awazon Market aspires to become the solution. Mars Market is a futuristic darknet platform designed for those seeking innovation, speed, and secure trade in a rapidly evolving digital frontier. With its space-inspired aesthetic and streamlined interface, Mars Market delivers a user-friendly experience backed by powerful security protocols, multi-currency support, and an expanding network of verified vendors. TorZon is a well-known name in the darknet landscape, recognized for its streamlined marketplace experience and long-standing presence in the community.
Is It Illegal To Access The Dark Web?
Darknet markets, or cryptomarkets, are online marketplaces that operate on anonymity networks like Tor or I2P and use cryptocurrencies for transactions — typically involving illegal or gray-market goods and services. Founded in 2014, BriansClub remains one of the oldest and most infamous dark web markets for stolen credit cards, fullz (complete identity kits), and dumps. This niche focus combined with a modern user interface and robust security infrastructure makes CannaExpress one of the most promising specialized darknet markets to emerge in recent times. You remain anonymous throughout the transaction and avoid unnecessary meetings, as well as the responsibility of buying drugs on the darknet markets. In exploring the top 10 dark-web marketplaces in 2025, we’ve examined their core operations, diverse use-cases, inherent risks, and evolving trends. While these marketplaces continue to serve legitimate purposes, such as enabling secure communication and privacy protection, they also remain hotspots for illicit activities and cybercrime.
Herbal Cannabis And Cannabis Resin: EWSD Data Indicates That Street Deals Remain The Preferred Method Of Purchase
In terms of total cannabis sold, with almost 105 kilogrammes sold over the two-week period, the biggest market is the US. There also seems to be a strong relationship between GDP per capita and cannabis price. In countries with a low GDP per capita, such as Cambodia and India, the average cannabis price is lower than in richer countries such as Germany. According to the 2018 Cannabis Price Index, in a sample of 120 cities, cannabis prices vary from a low of $1.34 in Quito, Ecuador, to almost $33 in Tokyo, Japan (see Table 1).
Power Your Insights With Data You Can Trust
The more proactive you are, the better you can protect yourself against identity theft and other cyber threats. Then, you can set up 2FA (two-factor authentication) for that extra touch of security in case someone somehow figures out your password. If you ever have to connect to public Wi-Fi, make sure to use a VPN to keep your browsing safe and private. However, the dark web is so complex and vast that if law enforcement takes down one market, it pops up elsewhere. For instance, after the closure of Genesis Market, its website came back after a few weeks.
Law Enforcement Involvement & Seizures
Abacus’s exit follows the June 16, 2025 law enforcement seizure of Archetyp Market, marking the latest in a series of shutdowns in the Western DNM ecosystem. Yes, the WeTheNorth shop includes a wide range of edibles including gummies, chocolates, and infused treats from verified vendors. You can access WeTheNorth Market through a secure TOR browser using our official onion URL. We use advanced encryption and an escrow payment system to protect your privacy and ensure your funds are secure during transactions.
And new customers will be able to buy drugs, buy A-PVP, buy psychotropic drugs, buy coke, buy weed, buy hashish, buy phenazepam, buy pills, buy amphetamine. If you are a seller and you have a large customer base, but you do not have your own market where you can sell drugs, then you can start managing your personal darknet market and sell drugs with us. In addition, if you do not want to create your own online marketplace, we can leave direct contact with you and be able to sell drugs directly. This successful operation serves as a warning to other dark web marketplaces and highlights the ongoing efforts to combat cybercrime worldwide. City Market is a modern darknet hub designed to emulate the flow and structure of a digital metropolis. With intuitive navigation, categorized listings, and responsive support, City Market offers a smooth experience for users at any level.
