We’re exploring darknet markets, from their history with the Silk Road to how they function today. Bitcoin vs. Monero usage, exit scams, and why these markets look like they're stuck in 2004 despite handling billions in transactions.

You're listening to Bitcoin Season 2. Subscribe to the newsletter, trusted by over 7,000 Bitcoiners: https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com

Colin and Charlie dive into the seedy underbelly of cryptocurrency—darknet markets. From the early days of the Farmers Market to the infamous Silk Road and beyond, they explore how these marketplaces function, why they initially struggled without Bitcoin, and the recent shift from Monero back to Bitcoin following exchange delistings. With $2 billion in annual volume yet surprisingly flat growth, they examine the robust review systems, exit scams, and why these sites stubbornly maintain their 2004-era aesthetics.

Disclaimer: This episode discusses drugs and illegal activities for informational purposes only.

Follow our guests: @cbspears @asilayhodling @btcszn2

Notes:

- Darknet markets processed ~$2-3.5B annually

- Farmers Market (2006) had only 3,000 users

- Silk Road processed $182M from 100,000 users

- Market volume remained flat despite crypto growth

- Monero losing popularity after exchange delistings

- Kraken darknet market: ~$800M volume in 2024

Check out our Bitcoin scaling conference! Visit opnext.dev to learn more.

Timestamps:

00:00 Start

01:50 Chainalysis Darknet Market Report

05:15 Farmer's Market

14:27 After Silk Road

16:11 Arch

16:42 Rise of Monero

23:38 Quality control

29:24 Exit scams

-

👉 Brought to you by Arch Network! Arch brings the speed of Solana & the best of crypto UX to Bitcoin. Tap into the rich app ecosystem on Arch & try out the testnet while you’re still early! Visit arch.network to learn more.

-

👋Bitcoin Season 2 is produced Blockspace Media, Bitcoin’s first B2B publication in Bitcoin. Follow us on Twitter and check out our newsletter for the best information in Bitcoin mining, Ordinals and tech!

Enjoy the show? Check out our website and newsletter by clicking here.

Questions or want to sponsor? hello@blockspace.media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BITCOIN SEASON 2: Inside Bitcoin’s Darknet Markets

CoinDesk Podcast Network