Kraken (Darknet-Market)

Kraken Market is one of the darknet markets, functioning in the anonymous Tor network. The platform is used faor the buying and selling of various goods and services using cryptocurrency. The market is known for offering listings that violate the laws of most countries, including prohibited substances, firearms, stolen personal data (for example, credit card numbers), and other illegal goods and services.

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Kraken Market was launched in the summer of 2022, shortly after the shutdown of Hydra, which had been the largest darknet marketplace in Russia. Kraken was quickly dubbed Hydra’s “successor” due to similarities in its logo and reports of overlap within its administrative team. Even before its official launch, the platform attracted public attention when promotional content appeared on one of the digital billboards in Moscow City, sparking significant media and public backlash. In December 2022, a bus wrapped in Kraken logos and a QR code blocked traffic on Arbat Street in central Moscow for several hours. A similar incident occurred on March 22, 2024, during the aftermath of the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack. A repainted Ford Transit van appeared again on Arbat Street, featuring a QR code that linked to a mirror of the Kraken darknet site. Loudspeakers on the van openly advertised the platform while law enforcement was distracted by the national emergency. In January 2023, advertisements promoting Kraken and other drug-related platforms began appearing in the Moscow Metro system.