Abacus, one of the largest darknet marketplaces in existence, has seemingly and abruptly shut down. This sudden shutdown has users reeling and raised fears of a potential exit scam. The platform, which launched in 2021 under the name Alphabet Market, has rebranded and swiftly spiked to popularity, processing close to $100 million in Bitcoin-based purchases during its four years of service. The circumstances surrounding its closure remain unclear, though some suspect an exit scam rather than an official law enforcement takedown.
Consumer complaints about withdrawn funds going unfulfilled started appearing in late June, leading to fears that the platform was insolvent. New data points show that the number of deposits per day has plummeted. They sank from a near high of $230,000 over 1,400 trades in early June to a mere $13,000 over 100 deposits by the beginning of July. Such a dramatic reduction in activity came just before the final disappearance from the marketplace.
Abacus saw rapid gains in market share, especially after the shuttering of several other major darknet markets. Its share skyrocketed from 10% in 2022 to more than 70% by 2024. The June 2025 closure of Archetyp added fuel to this thinkers’ fire. Consequently, Abacus was inundated with traffic, and its monthly sales volume blasted to $6.3 million.
While the marketplace served a global audience, it highlighted the Australian market above all others. To reach Australian users, Abacus brought in specially trained moderators and cultural messaging that resonated locally. This more targeted approach indicates a calculated push to build a robust base of support from newfound regional allies.
