darknet

Despite a global slowdown in cryptocurrency transactions on darknet markets, Russia’s crypto underground is thriving. According to the latest findings from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, cryptocurrency activity on Russian darknet platforms surged by 68%, even as global darknet sales dropped by 15% year-over-year.

Kraken Surges While Others Collapse
The report highlights that Kraken, now the largest darknet marketplace focused on Russia, has quickly risen to dominance after the takedown of the infamous Hydra marketplace in April 2022.
🔹 In 2024, Kraken handled $737 million worth of cryptocurrency, marking an increase of nearly 68% year-over-year.

🔹 In contrast, rival platform Mega — once a primary drug supplier to other darknet markets — saw its inflow fall by more than 50%.

Global Darknet Crypto Activity Declines
Globally, darknet crypto activity fell by 15% in 2024, largely due to ongoing efforts by international law enforcement and the increasing transparency of blockchain transactions.
📉 These pressures have forced many darknet operators to reconsider the tools they use — particularly a shift away from Bitcoin, which is known for its traceability.

Monero Takes the Lead on the Darknet
According to Chainalysis, many darknet platforms have now switched to using Monero (XMR) exclusively.
🔐 Monero is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency designed for maximum anonymity, making it significantly more difficult to trace transactions or identify participants. This privacy feature has made it the preferred currency for those aiming to stay off the radar of global authorities.

Summary
While global darknet markets are shrinking, Russia's scene is expanding rapidly. Kraken has taken the lead, and Bitcoin is losing ground to more private coins like Monero.
The Chainalysis report serves as a reminder that, although blockchain activity is transparent, privacy is still achievable — especially when the right technologies are used. That continues to present a major challenge for international regulators and law enforcement agencies.

#CryptoCrime , #darknet , #CyberSecurity , #Monero , #CryptoSecurity

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في خطوةٍ مذهلة، قضى تيليجرام على أكبر سوقٍ سوداء في تاريخ الإنترنت، مُغلقًا شبكتين ضخمتين لجرائم العملات المشفرة - هاووانج غرانتي وزينبي غرانتي. سهّلت هاتان السوقان المشبوهتان، اللتان تعملان تحت أنظار الجميع على تيليجرام، صفقاتٍ مشفرةً قذرةً تتجاوز قيمتها 35 مليار دولار، مُقدّمةً خدماتٍ متنوعةً من غسيل الأموال إلى سرقة البيانات وحتى خدمات الاتجار بالجنس. 😱 جاءت هذه الحملة عقب كشف محققي بلوكتشين في إليبتيك (إليبتيك شركة تحليلات بلوكتشين بريطانية مقرها لندن، ولها مكاتب في نيويورك وسنغافورة) وتحقيقٍ مُذهل أجرته مجلة وايرد (وايرد مجلة أمريكية تصدر كل شهرين وتُركز على تأثير التقنيات الناشئة على الثقافة والاقتصاد والسياسة)، والذي كشف عن الحجم الحقيقي لإمبراطوريتي الجريمة الرقمية هذه.

Даркнет-маркетплейс Abacus Market, який запрацював із вересня 2021 року, опинився в центрі скандалу через підозри в екзит-скамі на суму близько $12 млн. Платформа, що спеціалізувалася на торгівлі незаконними товарами, несподівано припинила роботу, викликавши тривогу серед користувачів. За даними спільноти, адміністратори могли зникнути, привласнивши кошти, накопичені на ескроу-рахунках, переважно в біткоїнах. Такі випадки не рідкість у даркнеті, де екзит-сками стали звичною практикою після закриття відомих майданчиків, як-от Silk Road чи Hydra.
Користувачі повідомляють про проблеми з виведенням коштів, що посилило підозри. На відміну від попередніх інцидентів, таких як Empire Market ($30 млн), масштаби Abacus виглядають меншими, але втрата все одно значна. Експерти припускають, що це може бути спробою адміністраторів скористатися зростанням ціни $BTC , який наразі перевищує $116,000. Поки офіційних заяв від правоохоронних органів немає, спільнота радить уникати подібних платформ.
Слідкуйте за оновленнями крипторинку та залишайтеся в курсі подій! Підписуйтесь на #MiningUpdates для актуальних новин та аналізу.
#darkweb #Cryptoscam #bitcoin #darknet t#Cybercrime #Blockchain #Cryptocurrency #MarketCrash #MiningUpdates

💣 Global Sting Takes Down 'Archetyp Market'—World’s Largest Darknet Drug Site Crumbles

In a major international crackdown, law enforcement agencies from the U.S., Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, and Romania joined forces to shut down the Archetyp Market, one of the largest and most dangerous drug marketplaces on the dark web. The platform, which used Monero ($XMR ) for anonymous payments, made over €250 million ($267M) by trafficking drugs like fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin. A 30-year-old German man suspected of running the site was arrested in Barcelona, and millions in cash, phones, and computers were seized 💻📱💰.
The Archetyp Market had more than 612,000 customers, 3,200 vendors, and 17,000 drug listings. Police raids spanned Germany, Sweden, and Romania, with a total of seven arrests and the market’s servers disabled in the Netherlands—effectively shutting the entire operation down. The evidence gathered is expected to lead to even more arrests and uncover deeper layers of this vast digital drug empire 🕵️‍♂️🚔.
This takedown sends a clear message: no matter how hidden or encrypted, illegal operations on the darknet are not beyond the reach of global law enforcement. With privacy coins like Monero under increasing scrutiny and darknet servers getting exposed, the digital underworld is quickly losing its hiding spots. Authorities hailed this operation as a huge win in the global fight against cybercrime, digital drug trafficking, and money laundering 🌐🔒⚖️.
#darknet #Monero #DarkWebCrackdown

💸 Scam Market Moves Fast! Telegram Fraudsters Shift Gears After Huione Ban 🚔

Despite the recent $27 billion crackdown on Huione Guarantee — a major dark market operation on Telegram — shady vendors haven’t gone away. According to a report by blockchain analytics firm Elliptic, after Telegram banned thousands of Huione-related accounts in May 2025, these underground merchants quickly migrated to another platform called Tudou Guarantee. Ironically, Huione still owns 30% of this new marketplace, which picked up right where the old one left off. 💻🕵️‍♂️
These secret markets, run in Chinese and settled using the USDT cryptocurrency, offer a range of illicit services including stolen data, fake IDs, and money laundering. The use of escrow systems lets buyers and sellers stay anonymous while still resolving disputes. While Huione Guarantee's traffic dropped to zero, Tudou Guarantee’s user base doubled and transaction volumes matched Huione’s previous activity — proving that the ecosystem is alive and well. 📈💰
Elliptic warns that this dark web economy won’t go down without a fight. Even though Huione Guarantee was removed, dozens of other similar markets still operate across Telegram. Some even pretend to be real just to scam other scammers! The report says these fraud rings are highly adaptive, and only continuous and coordinated action will truly disrupt this shady network that thrives on USDT and encrypted messaging. 😨🔐
#Telegram #darknet $BTC

الشبكة المظلمة، المخدرات، العملات المشفرة، ورجل واحد في المركز: وجهت السلطات الأمريكية اتهامات لبهروز بارساراد بإدارة واحدة من أكبر الأسواق غير القانونية عبر الإنترنت. يواجه عقوبة السجن مدى الحياة.

🕵️‍♂️ الاتهامات: مئات الآلاف من المعاملات غير القانونية
وفقًا للائحة الاتهام، يُزعم أن المواطن الإيراني بهروز بارساراد كان يدير نيمسيس، وهي سوق في الشبكة المظلمة التي من 2021 إلى 2024 سهلت بيع المخدرات والخدمات السيبرانية غير القانونية وغيرها من السلع المحظورة. يُزعم أن المنصة عالجت أكثر من 400,000 طلب، مع أكثر من 13% للمنبهات مثل الكوكايين والميث، وأكثر من 4% للأفيونيات مثل الفنتانيل والهيروين.

While Bitcoin remains the dominant cryptocurrency for illicit activities, Monero has carved a niche for itself as a preferred alternative for those seeking increased anonymity. Its design principles and unique features make it an attractive option for cybercriminals.
Enhanced Privacy🤐
Monero's core focus on privacy differentiates it from Bitcoin. Features such as ring signatures, stealth addresses, and confidential transactions make it significantly more challenging to trace the flow of funds. As Chainalysis, a blockchain analysis firm, has noted, "Monero is designed to be untraceable, and it largely lives up to that promise." Exactly, what crooks love to hear!Darknet Markets🚨Many darknet markets, notorious for illegal activities, have adopted Monero as a primary or exclusive payment method. This has solidified its reputation as a go-to currency for underground economies. The infamous darknet market AlphaBay, for example, exclusively used Monero for transactions. Good News is AlphaBay was shut down in a joint operation by law enforcement agencies worldwide in 2017 due to its involvement in numerous criminal activities. Ransomware Attacks⚔️ Ransomware gangs often demand payment in Monero due to the increased difficulty in tracing the ransom. This allows attackers to maintain a degree of anonymity. The WannaCry ransomware attack, which affected over 200,000 computers worldwide in 2017, demanded payment in Bitcoin and Monero.Money Laundering💸: The untraceable nature of Monero transactions makes it a potential tool for money laundering, as it can obscure the origin of funds. While exact figures are difficult to obtain, experts believe that Monero plays a role in facilitating this type of crime.
It's important to note that Monero itself is not illegal. However, its design characteristics have made it a preferred choice for those involved in illicit activities. As law enforcement continues to adapt to the evolving cryptocurrency landscape, the effectiveness of Monero as a tool for criminals may change. (NOT FINANCIAL ADVISE⚠️)
#Monero #MoneroHack #darknet