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The darknet has long been a haven for illicit activities, with underground marketplaces offering everything from drugs to stolen data. However, law enforcement crackdowns have led to the shutdown of many popular darknet markets. So what darknet markets are still up and running? Let’s take a look at some of the remaining options.
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Silk Road
Silk Road was one of the first darknet markets to gain widespread attention, known for its wide range of illegal goods and services. Despite being shut down by the FBI in 2013, several iterations of Silk Road have since popped up, offering similar products.
Drama Begins and Scammers Take Advantage
AlphaBay
This method was seen as less risky for buyers and sellers fearful of the heavy prison sentences handed out in Russia for drug crimes. Even so, opioids such as black market methadone are still being bought outside of darknet markets, predominantly either hand-to-hand or via the many human and automated drug dealers selling their wares on the encrypted messaging platform Telegram. If you ignore the markets that only allow for the sale of illicit drugs, there are still 32 darknet markets currently operating! In the last year, it seems like new markets are opening for business every month, each promising better security, or trying to make it big with a new gimmick. We’ve noticed an increasing number of markets also hosting a forum section on their website, encouraging product and vendor reviews, as well as generating discussion around various fraud “methods”.
Size of listings
AlphaBay was another major player in the darknet market scene before it was taken down by law enforcement in 2017. However, rumors persist that AlphaBay may have made a comeback under a new name or through hidden channels.
Dream Market
Dream Market was once one of the largest darknet markets, but it too fell victim to law enforcement raids in 2019. Despite this, there are reports of Dream Market making a return in some form, although its current status is uncertain.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Users Safely Access Dark Web Marketplaces
While not the biggest dark web marketplace for hackers, it’s still not a bad idea to monitor this site due to its continued growth. Dubbed by security researchers as the largest marketplace for mobile malware, InTheBox is a relatively new site that came online in early 2020. InTheBox features over 400 custom “web injects” that threat actors can buy and use to hack into different mobile apps and services.
- It transacted 9.5 million bitcoins in two-years time, valued at $1.2 billion at the time.
- Users on Dread have been equally concerned with posts titled “RIP Monopoly” on their subdreadit.
- The widely-mooted DNM decentralization is unlikely to materialize over the short term.
- Despite this, the darknet is probably better known for its hosting of drug marketplaces, such as the Silk Road, black markets and cyber attack services to name a few.
- Are there any new darknet markets emerging?
While many popular darknet markets have been shut down, new ones continue to pop up in their place. It’s a constant game of cat and mouse between law enforcement and underground operators.
- How can I access these darknet markets?
Accessing darknet markets requires special software such as Tor and a level of savvy to navigate the hidden corners of the internet. It’s important to exercise caution and be aware of the risks involved.
Plotted lines indicate the median value while bands represent the 95% confidence interval. Negative and positive numbers indicate the days prior and after the closure, respectively. Only the 33 DWMs that closed during our time period are considered in the analysis.
- What can I find on darknet markets?
Darknet markets offer a wide range of illegal products and services, including drugs, weapons, counterfeit money, hacked accounts, and more. These markets operate outside of the law and can be dangerous to engage with.
The dotted line corresponds to the result of a fitted power law function. (b) Trading volume in dollars sent to a DWM compared with the total trading volume in its surrounding U2U transactions. The dashed line is the bisector and allows to easily compare the two trading volumes. (c) Total monthly trading volume sent to all DWMs and exchanged in all unique U2U pairs.
As the cat-and-mouse game between law enforcement and darknet operators continues, the landscape of the darknet market scene is constantly shifting. While some well-known markets have been taken down, new ones are always emerging to take their place. It’s crucial for users to proceed with caution and be aware of the risks involved in accessing these underground marketplaces.
