The darkish web continues to be recovering from the liquidation by German police final April of the Hydra market, a big underground market used to trade unlawful goods, launder cybercriminals’ money, and conduct other criminal operations.

Image source: Pixabay

How informed In response to Dark Reading, mega market darknetmega darknet market the Hydra market accounted for 93% of all unlawful underground economic activity. Before the website was shut down, the average each day earnings of all underground markets was about $4.2 million, and after the marketplace liquidation, that quantity dropped to $447,000, in keeping with Chainalysis, when the darkish internet market’s earnings will probably be in 2021 about $3.1 billion, then darknet income fell in 2022 to $1.5 billion last yr.

10 months after Hydra’s shutdown, the darkish net market nonetheless fails to regain its former momentum. In line with Chainalysis, the top three contenders for the largest market on the darkish internet have emerged: OMG!OMG! Market, Blacksprut and Mega Darknet Market.

First, OMG!OMG! grew to become the market chief and achieved simply over 65% of the underground market’s revenue, however after the DDoS attack in June, its positions have been shaken and a flow of customers to its rivals Mega Darknet Market and Blacksprut Market began. At the moment there isn't a clear chief among dark web marketplaces.

In response to Chainalysis, four of the five most successful dark web marketplaces focus on promoting unlawful substances. Brian Dumps’ fifth platform is the only one among the largest underground marketplaces buying and selling stolen credit score playing cards and various personal data. Chainalysis analysts called this market a "scam shop". In keeping with them, Brian Dumps had issues in October last yr, and his revenue for that month dropped to zero, but the reason for the problems remained unknown.

As the examine has shown, providing cryptocurrency and fiat cash laundering services is the main way to draw former Hydra customers through underground marketplaces.

In response to Chainalysis, marketplaces Mega Darknet, Blacksprut, and OMG have began providing cryptocurrency cash laundering companies to attract former Hydra users. Analysts also noted that there is proof of collaboration between these platforms.

Based on Eric Jardine, Head of Cybercrime Research at Chainalysis, dark web marketplaces are becoming monetary service providers for cybercriminals. In line with Karl Steinkamp of cybersecurity consultancy Coalfire, the existence of such companies encourages attackers to commit new cybercrimes involving digital property.