Alphabay Market leads with 60,000+ listings and $20 million in monthly trades via BTC and XMR, dominating 20% of darknet marketplaces. With 25,000+ users and 3,000+ vendors, it’s the gold standard for escrow security and scale. ASAP is a tech nerd’s playground—accepting BTC, LTC, ZCash, and Monero, it’s got options for days. Listings aren’t public, but it’s steady—think drugs (weed, pills, some synthetics), a few digital extras like cracked accounts.
Illegal Markets
- Want to get illegal drugs, fake passports, Trojan, or other cyber attack software?
- Onion sites (aka Tor sites) are websites only accessible on the dark web; you can’t view them using a regular browser.
- It includes all the essential productivity software, including MS Word and an email client.
- It has successfully become a replacement for AlphaBay Market, which was once leading the dark web transactions space.
- It’s also important to note that your activities on the dark web aren’t completely immune to web tracking, and the expectation of anonymity can create a false sense of security.
I also included instructions on how to access the dark web, and outlined how to stay safe when browsing dark web links (the dark web is also home to many scams and malicious sites). Because it’s a members-only platform, you’ll need to register first. Thankfully, you don’t need to use your official name or email; just use a fake username (we tested it successfully). The site doesn’t require an email verification, though it offers all the features and security that you want in a dark web marketplace. Since the dark web isn’t indexed by standard search engines, sites like Ahmia act as modified directories to help users discover onion sites. ProtonMail is a Swiss-based encrypted email service that doesn’t require personal information when you sign up.
Darknet Market List – Dark Marketplaces
In 2021, they showed how tax rates benefit the rich, and they relied on stolen or leaked IRS documents to do so. In addition to the surface web, ProPublica also hosts their site on the dark web, because they want to make sure that everyone can access their reporting. A robust antivirus can help block malware and other online threats, even on the dark web.
Monitoring dark web markets is crucial, no matter if you are a business or individual, as you can then proactively identify and mitigate potential breaches and cyber threats. Naturally, this makes the dark web a breeding ground for illegal activity. But onion sites can also serve nobler goals, like providing access to information and independent journalism in countries with government censorship. The deep web is the part of the internet you can’t access through search engines like Google and Bing. Also referred to as “non-indexed” content, it’s any content hidden behind some kind of access control such as a log-in or code word. It contains 7,500 terabytes of information, compared with only 19 terabytes of information in the “surface” web.
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. However, if we’re being honest, the majority of activity on darknet markets involves illegal or heavily regulated items. A 2020 study found that almost 57% of sites on the Tor network hosted some form of illegal content.
Which Darknet Markets Are Up
Awazon became the successor of the popular AlphaBay market, which the authorities shut down successfully in July 2023. Like any other site of such nature, Awazon Market isn’t free from risks, so be careful while accessing it. It is an excellent option if you want to surf the web anonymously.
Never Share Personal Information
Vice City listens to the problems faced by its customers and vendors and solves them so that they can keep using the platform with ease. To access the marketplace, dark web users must register first and pass the CAPTCHA test to prove they are human. Wondering if there’s an OG darknet market for financial crimes?
Market Features
I’ve been digging into marketplaces like Abacus and AlphaBay for a while now, and this page breaks down what’s hot in 2025. You’ll find reviews, quick tables with the nitty-gritty details, and some practical tips on using Monero (see how) or setting up PGP (check it out). Plus, we’ve got some fresh takes on dark web trends and how to get started. When you use it, all the web traffic automatically routes through Tor. If the operating system detects any non-anonymous connection, it blocks it, thus ensuring maximum online protection. Despite using a VPN, there’s always a risk of the VPN leaking your IP address through DNS or WebRTC leaks or misconfigurations when on a dark web forum or marketplace.
- However, note that Dark.fail monitors site uptime status and cannot tell whether the site is safe.
- Use it to link your GitHub account, Twitter, Bitcoin address, and Facebook.
- To prevent the users from DDoS attacks, it provides personal marketplace domains to high-volume buyers and sellers.
- Most dark web links are hosted on “.onion” domains due to the sensitive nature of the businesses or services they host.
- As one of PrivacySavvy’s resident VPN experts, he guides readers on protecting their online information and anonymity.
ProPublica — Investigative Journalism News Site
It is similar to an online store, except it’s not the type you’ll find with a quick Google search. In contrast, sites hosted on the dark web can only be accessed via onion routing with Tor, or another dark web browser. Mars Market is a futuristic darknet platform designed for those seeking innovation, speed, and secure trade in a rapidly evolving digital frontier. 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. Its blend of simplicity, speed, and secure transactions makes it a reliable choice in the evolving darknet space.
Regular stores are public, with visible ads and a standard payment process. They usually accept cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, which keeps transactions secret. There are no visible ads or trackers, and the design is often very simple. The Russian Market has been around since 2019 and is one of the more prominent dark web marketplaces.
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. Active for a decade since 2014, it is a widely used credit card shop used to source stolen credit card information such as dumps, CVVs, Wholesale Accounts. It maintains a very strict level of user verification and integration with an official Telegram account to provide real-time updates to users. Various cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Monero can be used to make purchases. Never log in with your real name or reuse passwords from other accounts.
Torch – Oldest Tor Search Engine
Nexus is a darknet marketplace designed to be the central point where trust, technology, and trade intersect. Known for its minimalist design and emphasis on security, Nexus provides a clean, distraction-free environment for users seeking stability and anonymity. With verified vendors, built-in escrow, and lightning-fast performance, Nexus remains a go-to platform for serious darknet users.
Access The Dark Web Safely
Does allow individual users vending on the platform for USD $60.00 (refundable). Offers 2-Fa, account recovery phrase, personal phrase, Escrow and PIN. The markets only make it to the top of our list after a rigorous vetting process done by our exceptional team of experts that you can trust.
Archive.today collects snapshots of websites and archives them for later viewing. If this sounds similar to The Wayback Machine, the concept is indeed the same. However, The Wayback Machine allows website owners to block their sites from being archived, while archive.today does not. ProPublica has a reputation for unwavering investigative journalism.
