Abacus Market, once the largest marketplace for Bitcoin users in the West, shut down in July. The reasons for its disappearance remain unproven.
Closure of Abacus Market
The Bitcoin-friendly dark web market Abacus Market vanished from the internet in July 2025. TRM Labs suggests the operators likely closed the site and fled with customers' funds in a classic exit scam. Some experts believe law enforcement may have secretly seized the servers, though no agency has claimed credit for the closure.
User Issues
Signs of trouble started emerging in June. Users complained they could not withdraw funds. The site's administrator, known as 'Vito', posted on the Dread forum blaming the delays on a surge of new users from the closed Archetyp Market and DDoS attacks. However, the community became increasingly skeptical as Bitcoin deposits saw a drastic decrease from $230,000 a day to just $13,000 over a few weeks.
Future of the Dark Web
The closure of Abacus Market raises questions about the future of the dark web. Following the shutdown of ASAP Market in July 2023 and the seizure of Incognito Market in March 2024, Abacus's market share rose to over 70%. However, its prominence could have attracted the attention of law enforcement due to high volumes and a substantial user base.
Nevertheless, activity on the dark web rarely wanes. The evolution of the marketplace continues, despite the closures of significant platforms like Abacus.
