Russian Darknet Markets Rule the Crypto Drug Trade While Western Platforms Crumble

2024 Sees Slight Revenue Increase, Russian Platforms Dominate

Holy smokes, the darknet drug trade is on fire, and Russian platforms are leading the charge! Analysts at TRM Labs dropped the bomb, revealing that while Western markets struggled, Russian-language platforms raked in the big bucks in Bitcoin and TRON drug sales.

Get this: darknet marketplaces saw a tiny revenue bump in 2024, pulling in over $1.7 billion. And guess who's still at the top of the crypto drug sales game? You got it, Russian-language platforms, according to the blockchain sleuths at TRM Labs.

In their explosive 2025 Crypto Crime Report, the analysts spilled the beans that Russian-language marketplaces are the main drivers of the illicit drug trade, accounting for a mind-blowing 97% of overall revenue in Bitcoin (BTC) and TRON (TRX).

"Despite the many challenges faced by darknet marketplaces over the course of 2024, these platforms have nevertheless seen a slight increase of income compared to 2023, generating more than $1.7 billion."

TRM Labs

The analysts dropped another bombshell: the relative safety from law enforcement in Russia has allowed these marketplaces to thrive. And get this, some platforms are still using dead drop-based delivery models and relying on cheap precursor chemicals from China.

"[...] focus on synthetic drugs, and the wide availability and low price of drug precursor chemicals typically imported from China — have enabled Russian-language darknet marketplaces to thrive."

TRM Labs

Western Darknet Markets Struggle Amid Exit Scams and Crackdowns

On the flip side, Western darknet markets had a rough ride in 2024. With several exit scams and law enforcement crackdowns, trust in these platforms took a nosedive, especially after the Incognito Market exit scam in March. Ouch!

Meanwhile, Russian-language markets stayed rock-solid, with only four platforms calling it quits. Analysts pointed out that these platforms steer clear of exit scams, choosing to shut down voluntarily and let users withdraw their funds like bosses.