01.07.2025 18:27

Reports suggest the online drug marketplace, Abacus Market, may have been permanently shut down. This closure follows suspicious Bitcoin transactions and coincides with allegations of either a law enforcement seizure or a sophisticated exit scam targeting its users.

The initial suspicion arose from a significant Bitcoin transfer identified by Darkweb Informer on June 30th. This transfer occurred concurrently with Abacus's reported downtime, attributed to a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack and malfunctions within the Daunt link directory. Further fueling these concerns, both Darkweb Informer and vxdb, independent cybercrime news sources, highlighted failed deposit issues on the platform, prompting speculation of an exit scam underway.

Adding to the intrigue, Abacus's CEO, "Vito," offered an explanation on the Dread darknet forum, citing a surge in user traffic following the Europol takedown of another drug marketplace, Archetyp. However, this explanation failed to fully alleviate concerns. A lack of a signature on Vito's Dread post, coupled with a substantial BTC transfer – approximately $320,000 – from an established wallet to a newly created one, raised significant red flags amongst community members. HugBunter, a Dread forum founder, further questioned Vito's lack of communication via Jabber, a more secure messaging platform.

Despite initial skepticism, HugBunter subsequently reported establishing contact with Vito and working towards resolving the Abacus Market issues. However, the future of Abacus remains uncertain. HugBunter's statement, suggesting that continued engagement suggests a potential recovery, offered a glimmer of hope, yet failed to completely quell suspicion concerning the platform's ultimate fate. The situation highlights the opaque and risky nature of operating within the darknet marketplace ecosystem. Chainalysis, a reputable cryptocurrency security firm, also acknowledges Abacus as a significant player in this market.