With no warning or explanation, the platform has stopped responding, sparking widespread suspicion that its operators have orchestrated an exit scam. Users have been left without access to their funds or orders, while security researchers and darknet watchdogs raise red flags over the timing and behavior of the shutdown. With over 45,000 daily active users and more than 1,200 verified vendors, Abacus Market has grown to become the largest and most trusted marketplace of its kind.
Copyright © 2025 FactSet Research Systems Inc.Copyright © 2025, American Bankers Association. SEC fillings and other documents provided by Quartr.© 2025 TradingView, Inc. Users began fleeing in droves despite the assurance, and daily deposits dropped in the final weeks, down from an average daily deposit of $230,000 in most of June to just $13,000 daily from June 28 to July 10. For additional security, connect to a reputable VPN service before launching Tor.
- Instead, law enforcement agencies now appear to focus more closely on the vendors.
- Similar to the trusted abacus market, we provide a secure abacus link experience for all your trading needs.
- Always use the verified onion link provided on this page or check our official posts on Dread Forum.
- Signs of instability began to surface in late June 2025 as users reported difficulties withdrawing funds from their accounts.
Community consensus and users close to the Abacus team ruled out an FBI operation as a likely reason, leaning more towards an exit scam explanation for the sudden takedown of the platform. In 2022, Abacus was used by 10% of the users on Western darknet markets. It grew to 17% in 2023 and reached a leading status of 70% last year. Arresting vendors often has a greater disruptive impact than taking down DNMs. When a marketplace is shut down, vendors can typically migrate to other platforms. But when a vendor is arrested, their activity is disrupted across every DNM they operate on.
Hedge With Crypto aims to publish information that is factual, accurate, and up-to-date. The information about a specific cryptocurrency exchange or trading platform in reviews and guides may differ from the actual provider’s website. Abacus launched in September 2021 as ‘Alphabet Market,’ and gradually increased its popularity, especially as the number of other markets on the dark web dwindled, mostly as a result of law enforcement actions. Our abacus mirror connections ensure reliable access even during high traffic periods. Abacus offered a wide range of illicit drugs, including stimulants, psychedelics, unlicensed pharmaceuticals, and operated a central deposit wallet that supported both Bitcoin (BTC) and Monero (XMR).
AI-Powered Cloud Security Platforms Set To Transform Enterprise Cyber Defense In 2025
Abacus Market, the largest Bitcoin BTC-driven darknet marketplace in the Western world, has abruptly gone dark, bringing about suspicions of a major exit scam. In 2025, Abacus Market introduced multi-signature escrow for enhanced transaction security and expanded Monero support to meet growing demand for privacy-focused cryptocurrencies. Our Market Updates page details recent changes, including new vendor verification processes to combat scams.
WeTheNorth Market
However, it’s important to remember the potential legal and ethical implications of activities on these platforms. While user-friendly, Abacus is recognized by its administrators as a work-in-progress. Planned enhancements include auto-withdrawal, dark mode, Bitcoin and Recon reviews integration, comment notifications, an improved messaging system, a forum, an exchange, 2FA fixes, and a better search engine.
Abacus’s Rise To The Top Of The Western DNM Ecosystem
And then there’s malware—click the wrong link or download the wrong file, and your device could get infected. One of the most common is the exit scam, where a marketplace suddenly disappears and takes everyone’s money with it. The story of dark web marketplaces kicks off with Silk Road, launched in 2011. It was the first big site where people could anonymously buy drugs using Bitcoin, and it gained a lot of attention, until it was shut down by the FBI in 2013. Despite growing crackdowns from law enforcement agencies, the dark web remains a hotbed of criminal activity, offering everything from drugs to stolen data. Our distributed server infrastructure across multiple jurisdictions guarantees near-perfect availability, making Abacus the most reliable darknet marketplace in existence.
About Abacus Market
Drawing from his background in economics, Jimmy has monitored blockchain development for years, firmly believing in its power to democratise finance. Beyond offering commentary on the latest crypto developments, he also spends his time analysing open-source codes of promising projects on GitHub. In Arizona, lawmakers passed a Bitcoin reserve law, enabling seized crypto to be held as public reserves. A related proposal allows converting crypto from criminal cases into state funds. Roughly 145 darknet and clearnet domains linked to BidenCash were shut down.
Top Dark Web Marketplaces Of 2025: A Deeper Dive Into Illicit Trade Markets
Dread’s administrator, Hugbunter — who was in close contact with the Abacus team — believes Abacus’s disappearance was not the result of a law enforcement action. In some cases, such as Nemesis Market’s exit, official seizure notices have appeared months after a DNM has gone offline. Since its inception, Abacus Market has gradually increased its market share in the Western DNM ecosystem. In 2022, it ranked as the fourth largest Bitcoin-supporting Western DNM with 10% of market share, rising to 17% in 2023. In 2024, its share surged to over 70%, following ASAP Market’s voluntary closure in July, 2023 and the law enforcement seizure of Incognito Market in March, 2024. However, the firm also said the administrator of the dark web discussion forum Dread, who was in close contact with the Abacus team, has cast doubt on law enforcement being behind the marketplace’s disappearance.
Become A Verified Vendor
In 2024, Abacus accounted for 70% of Western darknet platforms accepting Bitcoin. TRM specialists suggested that, amid increased attention from law enforcement agencies, operators may have conducted an exit scam—disappearing with users’ funds. Abacus Market, once the dominant darknet marketplace operating in the Western world, has gone offline under suspicious circumstances, leading to widespread speculation of a coordinated exit scam. The marketplace’s sudden disappearance marks a significant turn in the ongoing volatility of darknet ecosystems, where trust, anonymity, and financial stakes collide in unpredictable and often short-lived ventures. Abacus Market, one of the largest remaining darknet drug marketplaces catering to Western users, has suddenly disappeared, triggering widespread speculation of a deliberate exit scam. The platform, which accepted Bitcoin and Monero, had grown rapidly over the past three years and was reportedly handling millions of dollars in daily cryptocurrency transactions before its abrupt shutdown.
Setting Up An Account
Although it served a global audience, it particularly focused on the Australian market, incorporating Australian cultural references into its marketing and recruiting an Australia-dedicated moderator. Abacus offered a wide range of illicit drugs, including stimulants, dissociatives, psychedelics, opioids, benzodiazepines, prescription medication, unlicensed pharmaceuticals, and cannabis-related products. Unlike competitors, such as Archetyp, DrugHub, ASAP Market, and Incognito Market, Abacus operated as a central deposit wallet, multisignature DNM that supported both Bitcoin and Monero.
All of this has made it one of the most reliable markets still active in 2025. Abacus Market is a leading darknet marketplace operating on the Onion Tor network since late 2020. Rebranded from Alphabet Market in October 2021 to distinguish itself from AlphaBay, it offers secure, anonymous transactions using Bitcoin (BTC) and Monero (XMR). With over 31,541 active listings and a 4.89 rating from 459 reviews, Abacus Market is a trusted platform. Launched in 2021 under the name “Alphabet Market,” Abacus steadily rose in prominence as competing marketplaces were dismantled through law enforcement operations. By 2023, it had secured a dominant position, handling 70% of all Western darknet market users.
Recommended Crypto Casinos
This website is strictly for academic research and educational purposes only. All content is provided to facilitate the study of cybersecurity, digital marketplaces, and online privacy technologies. However, it would be reckless to rely entirely on the site’s security features. In addition, you should always encrypt all the sensitive data with PGP and never transfer more money than is required to complete a transaction. As soon as you place an order, the funds are transferred from your built-in wallet to the platform’s escrow account. After the transaction is complete, the vendor receives a notification, prepares the package, and ships it.
With our multi-signature escrow system and PGP encryption, all transactions are protected until both parties confirm satisfaction. New vendors without established reputation pay a $100 non-refundable bond. Experienced vendors with verifiable feedback from other platforms qualify for reduced fees.
It offers secure escrow transactions, supports both Bitcoin and Monero payments, and maintains strict vendor verification to ensure a safe trading environment. Signs of instability began to surface in late June 2025 as users reported difficulties withdrawing funds from their accounts. However, skepticism quickly mounted as transaction activity and deposits plummeted. Daily deposits dropped from over $230,000 across approximately 1,400 transactions in June to just $13,000 by early July. Soon afterward, access to the market’s main site, clearnet mirrors, and cryptocurrency wallets was suspended entirely. TRM Labs analysis shows that nearly half of the marketplaces launched in 2024 accepted only Monero — a sharp increase from just over one-third in 2023.
