Bitcoin-fueled darknet marketplace vanishes in possible exit scam
Abacus commanded around 70% of the market share across all Bitcoin-enabled Western darknet marketplaces in 2024.
Abacus Market, the largest Bitcoin-powered Western darknet marketplace, has gone offline in an apparent exit scam.
Its website and infrastructure, including its clearnet mirror, are inaccessible, TRM Labs said in a report on Monday. The disappearance has led TRM to believe the “operators have likely conducted an exit scam, shutting down operations and disappearing with users’ funds.”
TRM Labs said the closure could be the result of attention from law enforcement, as Abacus Market clocked a monthly record after the closure of Archetyp Market, one of the longest-running dark web marketplaces, in mid-June.
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