Why Dark Net Marketplaces Prefer Monero Over Other Cryptocurrencies

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Darknet Market News: The Latest Developments in the Underground Economy

US-German Operation Shuts Down World’s Largest Darknet Marketplace

Crypto Crime Down 62% But Ransomware Activity Surges

The BKA acknowledged the help of law enforcement partners in the US, Switzerland, Moldova and Ukraine. Here’s why Bitcoin’s use as a dark web currency is diminishing, and why Monero could see a surge in adoption as the one cryptocurrency the government can’t infiltrate. Bypass Shop, another similar fraud shop, was shuttered by Russian authorities last March, the report said. Brian Dumps appears to have also suffered some disruption last October, dropping its revenues for that month to zero, according to Chainalysis. Year-over-year, Dark Web marketplace revenues at the end of 2021 were about $3.1 billion, but by the end of 2022 they totaled only about $1.5 billion.

Darknet markets, also known as cryptomarkets, are online marketplaces that operate on the dark web. These markets are used for the sale and purchase of illegal goods and services, including drugs, weapons, and stolen data. In recent years, darknet markets have gained increasing attention from law enforcement agencies, researchers, and the media. Here is the latest news from the world of darknet markets.

Things are not always as they seem when it comes to darknet market closures. When Hansa market was shut down by European law enforcement in July 2017, it was revealed that the investigators had actually been operating the market for a number of weeks. Its operators had been arrested in Germany nearly a month previously, but this had been kept quiet so that Dutch police could take over and continue the market’s operations in order to collect further information on Hansa’s users. This had been coordinated with the law enforcement takedown of Alphabay – another market – in order to collect information on individuals who migrated from Alphabay to Hansa.

Operation Dark HunTor Leads to Arrests and Seizures

While all categories see spikes in July around the same time as a Bitcoin price surge, darknet markets exhibit a much less dramatic spike than the others. Looking across the entire year, darknet markets’ transaction activity remains within a much narrower volume range, suggesting that customer behavior is less influenced by changes to Bitcoin’s price. Similar to previous years, the vast majority of darknet market transactions flow through exchanges. Exchanges are by far the most common service customers use to send cryptocurrency to vendors, and for vendors to send funds to cash out. After a small decline in 2018, total darknet market sales grew 70% in 2019 to over $790 million worth of cryptocurrency, making it the first time sales have surpassed $600 million. Not only that, but for the first time since 2015, darknet markets increased their share of overall incoming cryptocurrency transactions, doubling from 0.04% in 2018 to 0.08% in 2019.

Darknetlive is a news and information site[1][2] covering darknet markets and other dark web activities. One type of criminal marketplace there specializes in buying and selling illegal items, such as drugs, firearms and fraudulently obtained gift cards. The darknet, the hidden part of the internet that can only be accessed by a special browser, has long been home to various criminal marketplaces and forums. A recent surge in ransomware attacks and other malicious cyber activities has fueled the effort to shut down services that cater to online criminals. We anticipate a rise and further advancement in crypto asset stealers, leading to a corresponding increase in ads for its development and sale on the underground market. The success of malware like Angel Drainer, reportedly used in the attack on Ledger, combined with continuing interest in cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and related digital assets, is expected to fuel the proliferation of such drainers.

In October 2021, the FBI announced the results of Operation Dark HunTor, a global operation targeting darknet markets and their users. The operation resulted in the arrest of 150 individuals and the seizure of over porn dark web $31 million in cash and virtual currency. According to the FBI, Operation Dark HunTor targeted vendors and buyers of illicit goods and services, as well as the infrastructure that supports darknet markets.

• Finally, the data is purchased by consumers who use it to commit various forms of fraud, including fraudulent credit card transactions, identity theft, and phishing attacks.
• According to him, some part of last-minute travels in legal tour agencies comes from services like Blue Sunset.
• The rise of social media for ‘low-level’ drug transactions suggests that darknet drug markets will continue to adapt their response, focusing on wholesale drug distributors, rather than the end consumer.

Dream Market Shuts Down

Hydra Market was a Russian-language marketplace that had operated via the Tor network since at least 2015 and was known for extensive drug trafficking, according to German authorities. The market’s 17 million known customers were also known to buy and sell forged documents and stolen credit cards, they said. Dark web marketplaces are a platform for trading illicit products on a small and large scale. The products that are most commonly listed for sale include drugs, fake documents, fraud-related items, and hacking services and tools.

In April 2019, Dream Market, one of the largest and oldest darknet markets, announced that it was shutting down. The market, which had been in operation since 2013, was a popular destination for buyers and sellers of drugs, stolen data, and other illegal goods and services. The shutdown was reportedly due to pressure from law enforcement agencies, as well as a desire by the market’s operators to exit the business.

Empire Market Exit Scam

In August 2020, Empire Market, one of the most popular darknet markets, disappeared. The market, which had been in operation since 2018, was known for its wide selection of drugs, stolen data, and other illegal goods and services. It is .onion links believed that the market’s operators exit scammed, meaning that they shut down the market and ran off with users’ funds. The exact amount of money that was stolen is not known, but it is estimated to be in the millions of dollars.

Darknet Markets and COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on darknet markets. With many people staying at home and avoiding public places, the demand for illegal goods and services has increased. At the same time, the pandemic has made it more difficult for vendors to obtain and ship products. As a result, some darknet markets have seen an increase in prices, while others have struggled to meet demand. Additionally, the pandemic has led to an increase in cybercrime, with many criminals turning to darknet markets to sell stolen data and other illicit goods and services.

Conclusion

Darknet markets are a constantly evolving and dynamic part of the underground economy. While law enforcement agencies continue to target these markets and their users, new markets continue to emerge to take their how to get onto the dark web place. The latest news from the world of darknet markets highlights the challenges and opportunities facing vendors, buyers, and law enforcement agencies in this complex and rapidly changing environment.

Note: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a guide for illegal activities.