BTC Valued at $144M Sent to Coin Mixer From Defunct Darknet Market After Eight-Year Wait

The coins are linked to Abraxas marketplace, a darknet market that shut in 2015.

AccessTimeIconOct 23, 2023 at 3:18 p.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global event for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

An entity has moved 4,800 BTC ($144M) to a coin mixer from a wallet tied to defunct darknet marketplace Abraxas, which closed in 2015, according to blockchain analyst ZachXBT.

Abraxas shut suddenly eight years ago, locking user funds on the website in what was described as an "exit scam."

  • 'The Voice' Makes Its Way to the Metaverse
    12:43
    'The Voice' Makes Its Way to the Metaverse
  • Staking Has Been a Major Liquidity Sink for ETH: Coinbase Institutional
    00:53
    Staking Has Been a Major Liquidity Sink for ETH: Coinbase Institutional
  • Fantom Token Jumps; Dolce & Gabbana Sued for NFT Deliveries
    01:52
    Fantom Token Jumps; Dolce & Gabbana Sued for NFT Deliveries
  • What's the Key to Winning a Hackathon?
    00:32
    What's the Key to Winning a Hackathon?
  • The funds were left untouched until this week, when the wallet owner consolidated them before transferring the full amount to a bitcoin mixer.

    A mixer is a tool that jumbles up bitcoin transactions across a period of time by splitting the coins across various wallets. The U.S. treasury was looking to label coin mixers last week as a "primary money laundering concern."

    Edited by Sheldon Reback.

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

    Oliver Knight

    Oliver Knight is a CoinDesk reporter based between London and Lisbon. He does not own any crypto.


    Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.



    Read more about