Abacus Market, once the leading darknet marketplace catering to Western crypto users, has abruptly gone offline, sparking widespread fears of a calculated exit scam.
According to blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs, Abacus’ web infrastructure—including its clearnet mirrors—became inaccessible in early July. No law enforcement seizure banners have appeared, fuelling suspicions that the platform’s operators simply vanished with user funds. Analysts note that while a covert takedown remains a possibility, the signs overwhelmingly point to an exit strategy.
Trouble began brewing in late June when users reported issues withdrawing their balances. The site’s administrator, known by the alias “Vito,” attributed the delays to a flood of new users from the recently dismantled Archetyp Market and an ongoing DDoS attack. However, these explanations failed to reassure the community, with daily deposit volumes plunging from around $230,000 to just $13,000 by early July.
Launched in 2021 as Alphabet Market before rebranding to Abacus later that year, the platform gained popularity by targeting Australian users and supporting transactions in both Bitcoin (BTC) and Monero (XMR). Following the takedown of Incognito Market in 2024 and the voluntary closure of ASAP Market in 2023, Abacus quickly captured over 70% of the Western darknet market share. TRM estimates the platform processed between $300 million and $400 million in total sales during its operation.
Notably, Abacus reached a record-breaking $6.3 million in monthly transaction volume after Archetyp Market was seized in June 2025. Experts suggest that its operators may have seized the moment to cash out at their peak rather than risk arrest, a strategy previously used by Agora and WhiteHouseMarket administrators who left without facing prosecution.
TRM’s findings highlight the increasing instability within Western darknet markets. As platforms vanish or are taken down, vendors and buyers are shifting towards encrypted communication channels and smaller, low-effort marketplaces to continue operations.
Notably, in a report by Elliptic, the takedown of Huione Guarantee, one of the largest crypto-enabled darknet marketplaces, sparked a swift migration of users and vendors to alternative platforms, with at least 30 Telegram-based marketplaces experiencing a sharp uptick in activity.
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