
The AlphaBay market launched in December 2014, and it immediately got a surge of new registrations after another Dark Web market called Evolution pulled an exit scam in March 2015. Users flocked to AlphaBay and other markets at the time, giving the site a huge boost right from the get-go. Local authorities had apprehended Cazes based on an international arrest warrant issued by the US for drug trafficking charges. AlphaBay, an online marketplace that sold illegal products on the Dark Web, has been taken offline following raids in three countries, according to several reports. During the investigation, federal law enforcement seized cryptocurrency valued at $75 million at the time of the seizures, as well as cash and precious metals.
No Referral Links Or URL Shorteners
Beginning in September 2021, Abacus Market has established itself as one of the leading dark web marketplaces. After AlphaBay closed, Abacus Market took its place as the world’s largest underground darknet marketplaces. Abacus Market quickly rose to prominence by attracting former AlphaBay users and providing a comprehensive platform for a wide range of illicit activities. Launched after the takedown of AlphaBay in 2021, Abacus Market has rapidly risen to prominence. It features over 40,000 listings including narcotics, counterfeit items, hacking tools, and stolen data.
Users Flocking To New Markets
When I checked the link I used is very different to the one on the wikipedia page. The link I used started with g and did not have alphabay anywhere in it. According to another complaint affidavit filed in the Middle District of Florida against Jeremy Achey, an investigation into a fentanyl overdose death in Orange County, Florida, on February 27, revealed that the lethal substance was purchased on AlphaBay from Achey. The investigation into AlphaBay revealed that numerous vendors sold fentanyl and heroin, and there have been multiple overdose deaths across the country attributed to purchases on the site. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California filed a civil forfeiture complaint against Alexandre Cazes and his wife’s assets located throughout the world, including in Thailand, Cyprus, Lichtenstein, and Antigua & Barbuda. Cazes and his wife amassed numerous high value assets, including luxury vehicles, residences and a hotel in Thailand.
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. Other users noted that it still wasn’t clear how AlphaBay had been seized, given that its use of Tor and Bitcoin were meant to shield buyers, sellers, and admins from identification. For months, an extortionist had reportedly threatened to reveal the identity of one AlphaBay administrator, and even released identifying information about him after AlphaBay’s proctors sent him or her a hush-money payment. But dark web practitioners still have vague fears that law enforcement agencies found a method of breaking AlphaBay’s Tor protection–which potentially means sites like Dream Market and Hansa are vulnerable too. “It is frankly frightening,” one user wrote in response to news of the AlphaBay takedown.
Market Value And Popularity
Launched in September 2022, Torzon Market operates on the Tor network and features over 11,600 illegal products, including drugs and hacking tools. It enhances buyer transparency by importing vendor feedback with PGP proof. Torzon offers a premium account option for additional benefits and is valued at approximately $15 million, accepting payments in Bitcoin (BTC) and Monero (XMR). Some dark web marketplaces even host content that’s not just illegal but extremely harmful, so it’s really important to understand the risks before diving in. Despite growing crackdowns from law enforcement agencies, the dark web remains a hotbed of criminal activity, offering everything from drugs to stolen data.
Abacus Market URL – The Past – Silk Road & AlphaBay Market:
One of these, AlphaBay Market, was the most prominent and popular darknet market since the Silk Road. At its height, AlphaBay’s daily sales ranged between $600,000 and $800,000 USD across 300,000 listings for illicit goods, offered by over 40,000 vendors and viewed by some 200,000 users. Dark web buyers and vendors haven’t exactly flocked back to AlphaBay’s since its return. A few weeks into the relaunch, it has just under 500 listings, compared to more than 350,000 at AlphaBay’s 2017 peak. Those low numbers likely stem from DeSnake’s insistence on accepting only Monero, from skeptical dark web users waiting to see if the new AlphaBay is legitimate, and from a barrage of distributed denial-of-service attacks that have knocked the site offline since its launch.
Easy – Extremely Simple How To Use Monero (Video Tutorial)
N 2025, dark web websites frequently change domains and are often short-lived. Accessing them may require .onion links and the Tor browser, but caution is advised due to legality and cybersecurity risks. Apart from the dark web markets that are operating online today, some raided platforms influenced many markets. “For now, there are plenty of smaller and more specialized markets for vendors and buyers to continue trading,” Wilson said.
All Markets At A Glance
DeSnake counters that if law enforcement had gotten to him and launched the new AlphaBay as a honeypot, they would have simply reused the original AlphaBay’s code. And he points out that the Monero-only restriction for the site would make it far less effective for trapping unsuspecting dark web buyers than a site that simply accepts Bitcoin. Gray points to a thread on the largely Russian cybercrime forum XSS, where many commenters expressed their skepticism about DeSnake’s return, some implying that he’s being controlled by law enforcement. “Lol, how many honest comrades will DeSnake have to turn in now to leave the punishment cell?” one commenter asked in Russian. “It’s fake and 99.9% sure and feds opening it again,” another wrote.
Kinger’s ominous threat suggested they knew his real life identity and his citizenship was actually Dutch. They worked closely with a “security administrator” and second in command known as DeSnake, or simply “DS” for short. According to our historical darknet records, DeSnake had connections in Russia although his true identity and location was not publicly known.
The marketplace is well-known for its bug bounty programs and robust security mechanisms, including mandatory 2FA. AlphaBay is a legendary dark web marketplace which was by the FBI’s own words the biggest darknet marketplace to have ever existed. The platform was shutdown in 2017 by authorities during Operation Bayonet but they were unable to capture many of the staff members including its co-founder and security administrator DeSnake.
Interestingly, AlphaBay’s former moderator “Disc0” also chimed in, but using a lowercase “d” this time. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Georgia identified an AlphaBay staffer living in the United States. The information here may be outdated and links may no longer function. Please contact if you have any questions about the archive site.
Paying With Monero: A Quick Rundown
Dutch police now have the usernames, passwords and IP addresses of thousands of Hansa users, and are tracking them down. When one dark market falls, buyers and sellers just move on to the next one. On 7th August 2021 DeSnake re-opened AlphaBay for business after having his identity verified by PGP, forum admins, ex-AlphaBay staff members (those not caught) and multiple security researchers.
- The indictment from 2017 listed them individually by their monikers and many have been arrested.
- It operates in both French and English and has built a reputation for ease-of-use.
- Drugs dominate, but digital goods are picking up—ties into the Telegram trend with side hustles.
- Hansa has set a temporary stop on new registrations until further notice as influx of AB refugee-vendors created tech problems.
Incognito’s all about keeping things easy and safe—perfect if you’re avoiding street buys. What sets them apart is their support—real-time chat that’s saved my bacon a couple times when a deal went sideways. They’re planning some vendor recommendation thing for 2025, which could shake things up for new sellers—kinda ties into the community vibe.
DeSnake claims there have been 15,000 user accounts created, 450 vendors registered, and over 400 listings published as of the time of writing. Vice City’s an old-timer—over five years strong—and it’s all about keeping things steady with BTC and Monero. Multi-signature escrow and real user feedback make it trustworthy. For 2025, they’re tweaking the mobile site, which I’ve been wanting forever—makes it easier on the go, especially if you’re using Tor on your phone (see how).