TL;DR
Wired reports that long-running online black markets have shifted from the Tor-based dark web onto public messaging services such as Telegram. According to the article, Chinese crypto-based scam operations on those platforms are helping create what Wired describes as the biggest darknet markets ever, generating historic illicit profits.
What happened
According to a December 2025 Wired feature by Andy Greenberg, the landscape of online illicit marketplaces has shifted from hidden Tor sites to widely used messaging apps like Telegram. Where the dark web once relied on Tor and cryptocurrencies to obscure buyers and sellers, public platforms are now hosting large-scale marketplaces and criminal networks. The article attributes much of the recent market growth to Chinese crypto-focused scammers operating on Telegram, which Wired says are fueling the expansion of these networks and producing unusually large sums in illicit proceeds. The piece frames this migration as a significant evolution in how contraband, fraud, and related services are bought and sold online, moving many transactions into more visible yet still hard-to-police corners of the internet. Wired published the story on December 23, 2025, with Andy Greenberg reporting on cybersecurity and crime trends.
Why it matters
- A shift from Tor-based marketplaces to public platforms changes the way illicit trade is conducted and policed.
- Public messaging apps hosting criminal markets may complicate traditional investigative approaches developed for the dark web.
- The involvement of large crypto-focused scam operations suggests sizable financial flows that could affect broader crypto-related crime trends.
- Visible platform-based markets can increase both the scale and accessibility of illicit goods and services for a larger audience.
Key facts
- Wired published the report on December 23, 2025, written by senior writer Andy Greenberg.
- The story describes a migration of online black markets from the Tor-based dark web onto public platforms like Telegram.
- Wired identifies Chinese crypto scam operations on Telegram as a driving force behind recent market expansion.
- The article characterizes these developments as creating the biggest darknet markets ever, with historic illicit fortunes.
- Historically, the combination of cryptocurrency and the anonymity software Tor was central to early dark web markets, per the reporting.
- The reporting frames Telegram-hosted marketplaces as more public compared with traditional dark web sites.
What to watch next
- Law enforcement responses and cross-border investigations into Telegram-based marketplaces — not confirmed in the source.
- Changes in Telegram’s moderation, enforcement, or technical measures to counter marketplaces — not confirmed in the source.
- Shifts in cryptocurrency laundering and tracing techniques tied to these markets — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Telegram: A widely used messaging app that supports group chats, channels, and file sharing; often used for both legitimate and illicit coordination.
- Darknet: Parts of the internet that are intentionally hidden and accessible only through specialized software or configurations, historically used for anonymous activity.
- Tor: An anonymity network that routes internet traffic through volunteer-operated servers to conceal users’ locations and usage from surveillance and traffic analysis.
- Cryptocurrency: Digital or virtual currencies that use cryptography for security and operate on distributed ledgers, often used for online transactions.
Reader FAQ
Who reported this shift to Telegram-based markets?
Wired published the story, reported by senior writer Andy Greenberg on December 23, 2025.
Are specific criminal groups named in the article?
Not confirmed in the source.
Does the piece provide figures for the illicit profits involved?
Not confirmed in the source.
Were any law enforcement actions or platform responses described?
Not confirmed in the source.
ANDY GREENBERG SECURITY DEC 23, 2025 6:00 AM Chinese Crypto Scammers on Telegram Are Fueling the Biggest Darknet Markets Ever Online black markets once lurked in the shadows of the…
Sources
- Chinese Crypto Scammers on Telegram Are Fueling the Biggest Darknet Markets Ever
- Telegram dark markets expand to fill the gap left by Huione …
- Chinese Scammers Build Massive Crypto Fraud Empires …
- Telegram's Chinese Crypto Black Market Hits Record Highs
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