For years, illegal online marketplaces were closely linked to the dark web. These platforms relied on privacy-focused browsers and early cryptocurrencies to sell drugs, weapons, stolen data, and hacking tools while remaining hidden from authorities. At the time, their technical complexity made them difficult to track and dismantle.
That model has now changed drastically. In 2025, some of the largest illegal crypto markets in history are operating openly on Telegram, a mainstream messaging application. According to blockchain intelligence researchers, these platforms no longer depend on sophisticated anonymity tools. Instead, they rely on encrypted chats, repeated channel relaunches after bans, and communication primarily in Chinese.
Analysis shows that Chinese-language scam-focused marketplaces on Telegram have reached an unprecedented scale. While enforcement actions earlier this year temporarily disrupted a few major platforms, activity quickly recovered through successor markets. Two of the largest currently active groups are collectively processing close to two billion dollars in cryptocurrency transactions every month.
These marketplaces function as service hubs for organized scam networks. They provide money-laundering services, sell stolen personal and financial data, host fake investment websites, and offer digital tools designed to assist fraud, including automated impersonation technologies. Researchers have also flagged listings that suggest serious human exploitation, adding to concerns ab
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