However, it’s also used for illegal activities like drug trafficking, weapon sales, and stolen data trading. Law enforcement agencies monitor it for criminal activities, but legitimate users rely on it for privacy protection. In response, cybersecurity professionals, law enforcement agencies, and policymakers around the world are working to combat this growing menace.
Russia & China Condemn EU Iran Sanctions Push
Usually these products are sent to the buyer by post and money transferred to the seller through the escrow system. While this practice keeps basic consumer goods at reasonable price, their scarcity makes for a whole different outcome in practice. For over a year now, Venezuelans have had to stand in line for hours to have a access to limited quantities of basic products such as rice, flour or even toilet paper. “Bachaqueros don’t just charge any old price, there’s a market – it’s badly designed, but it’s a market,” explained financial analyst Henkel Garcia.
- Our team searched the dark web and put together a list of the most active dark web marketplaces in order to assist you in monitoring illegal trade of products, cybercrime activity, and dark web trends in the dark web space.
- One of the most well-known technologies enabling darknets is the Tor network, which was developed by the U.S.
- Engagement with international economic entities and an emphasis on transparency could be the lifelines Venezuela needs to rise from the ashes of its economic turmoil.
- Like people in other Latin American countries – and long before their nation came undone in 2013 – Venezuelans have used the U.S. dollar as a safe haven asset and see the exchange rate as a measure of the economy’s health.
- Those changes were the result of government decisions that eased price controls on basic goods and allowed consumers and businesses to use greenbacks without restrictions.
Below, I’m breaking down each market with everything I’ve picked up—listings, quirks, the works. Retailers, restaurants, and small businesses now face audits, hefty fines, and even forced closures for pricing goods using the parallel rate—despite the reality that many imported products are priced in dollars. “We risk fines which would mean shutting down the business, as they’re unaffordable,” a Caracas shopkeeper told the Financial Times, requesting anonymity for fear of government reprisal.
Some families in poor neighborhoods ventured into business ownership operating hot dog carts and other food stands. Engagement with international economic entities and an emphasis on transparency could be the lifelines Venezuela needs to rise from the ashes of its economic turmoil. Only time will tell if these measures signify a genuine shift or are merely a mirage in the landscape of a nation striving for stability. Meanwhile, shopping centers, grocery stores, and formal retail outlets—which almost universally operate using the BCV rate—saw normal business. In fact, many likely went shopping hoping to acquire goods at advantageous prices, especially on a Friday during the two weeks marked by special circumstances.
Venezuela Dismantles Network Manipulating Parallel Dollar: Government Defends Economic Sovereignty
But the black market started to implode late last year when Zulia’s state government began phasing out fuel subsidies, turning control of most gas stations over to civilians, and finding ways to bring more oil into the state. The black market for gasoline is quickly disappearing in Venezuela’s oil-rich state of Zulia as changing government policies and supply increases chip away at one of the state’s biggest criminal economies. This month, the official rate reached 70 bolivars to $1, but the black market hit 100 bolivars to $1 last month. Things changed in 2024 when the gap between the official and “parallel” rates expanded quickly, bringing fresh inflationary pressure for the oil-rich but chronically mismanaged and heavily sanctioned South American country. The black market has swelled as high demand for dollars has far outpaced their availability through official channels. Likewise, the outlet reported that foreign currency flow into banking via the BCV was 20.48% higher than the $332 million sold to the financial system in May 2024.
By effectively increasing oil supply, these untracked shipments may exert downward pressure on global oil prices. Tankers may either load oil directly from sanctioned ports while their AIS signals are off or conduct ship-to-ship transfers between dark vessels (see Figure 1). By operating covertly, they capitalise on premiums offered by sanctioned producers striving to maintain exports. This mechanism explains how oil from restricted countries continues to reach global markets despite sanctions. In recent years, sanctions have become a frequently used tool for Western authorities to curb oil exports from targeted economies, aiming to reduce the latter’s export revenues by restricting access to major markets.
- Launched in 2020, Cypher Marketplace sells fraudulent documents, stolen credit cards, fake IDs, and malware.
- Venezuela and Vietnam also rank high on both sides, with their activity skewed slightly more toward darknet market buying, which could be related to the drug manufacturing activity prominent in both countries.
- Gross domestic product grew 8% in 2022, according to the International Monetary Fund, after the economy shrank about 80% between 2014 and 2020.
- It is too sticky even to move through pipelines, so it needs to be mixed with diluents, like gas condensate at a ratio of 3.5 to 1.
Colombia: President Petro Denounces Assassination Plot
Word’s out they’re going decentralized in 2025—less downtime, more trust, right in line with where things are headed. The site’s slick—vendor stats update live, checkout’s a breeze, and the vibe’s modern without being over-the-top. I’ve used it a handful of times; deliveries landed smooth via DeadDrops—plain packaging, no fuss. It’s not the biggest player like Abacus, but it’s got a loyal crew and uptime that rarely blinks.
US Dollar As Safe Haven
Security researchers have been monitoring forums within the cybercriminal underworld to investigate the leading markets operating in 2024. It’s been a constant back-and-forth between cybercriminals and law enforcement, with each new site trying to be smarter and more secure than the last. Ransomware and cryptocurrency-based crimes saw a significant increase in 2023, with a nearly $176 million rise compared to 2022. Telegram channels supplement traditional onion sites, blurring lines between the dark web sites and more mainstream communication tools.
Foreign Exchange Restrictions Spawn Currency Black Markets
Also speaking to the news agency, a black-market vendor, identified only as Gustavo, said it was cheaper to buy gasoline from those in Venezuela who receive a quota of government-subsidized oil than to import it from Colombia. Accessing them may require .onion links and the Tor browser, but caution is advised due to legality and cybersecurity risks. Apart from the dark web markets that are operating online today, some raided platforms influenced many markets.
Shining A Light On Currency Black Markets
This typically gives rise to a premium over the official rate known as the black market premium. Currency restrictions are primarily intended to prevent debilitating capital outflows during periods of macroeconomic weakness. They include banning the use and possession of foreign currencies within a country, banning residents from purchasing foreign securities or holding bank balances abroad, and restricting the amount of currency that can be imported and exported. This data can be used to make observations about the nature of currency black markets. What determines black market premia for hard currency and how can such information be used by investors? Many economic studies are based on official rates that were fixed and chronically overvalued.
Top Darknet Markets 2025
These marketplaces facilitate the exchange of everything from stolen credentials and drugs to weapons and hacking tools. The anonymity and encryption provided in dark markets create a haven for cybercriminals and nation-state actors to buy and sell dangerous assets while evading detection. Activities on dark-web marketplaces are closely monitored by international law enforcement agencies. Purchasing or selling illegal goods—such as controlled substances, counterfeit documents, or stolen data—can result in significant legal penalties, including fines, criminal charges, and imprisonment. Even users who access these platforms without intent to buy illegal items risk suspicion or investigation. Governments sometimes introduce dual exchange rates during balance of payments crises to limit the short-term impact of capital outflows on domestic prices and international reserves.
Darknet Marketplace Snapshot Series: Infinity Market
The events have occurred in a cascade, as have the reactions, especially in informal retail purchases and sales of foreign currency and in businesses or activities that use the Monitor Dólar Venezuela trackers and the Al Cambio app to set prices. The Venezuelan government’s action comes after a thorough investigation into 18 websites accused of daily publishing unauthorized dollar rates, which authorities say fueled inflation and economic instability. On June 2, 2025, Venezuela’s Minister of the Interior, Justice, and Peace, Diosdado Cabello, announced the arrest of 25 people allegedly involved in manipulating the parallel dollar exchange rate. “The lack of transparency in the dark fleet makes it incredibly difficult to assess and mitigate environmental risks. We’re essentially flying blind, and the potential for a catastrophic spill is growing with each passing day.” – Dr. Emily Carter, Maritime Environmental Analyst, Ocean Futures Institute.
Mexico’s demand for black market oil was so high that attacks on offshore platforms also increased. From January to June 2020, authorities registered 19 such attacks, compared to 20 in all of 2019 and 16 in 2018, according to the New York Times. In summary, beyond 2025, dark-web marketplaces will increasingly blend cutting-edge technologies with adaptive strategies to survive in an environment marked by heightened regulatory oversight and shifting user priorities.
