45 Dark Web Statistics You Need to Know in 2025
Table of Contents
1. Dark Web Size and Usage Statistics
- The dark web represents only 0.01% of the entire internet, yet hosts millions of daily users. [Source]
- Daily Tor network users grew from 2 million to over 3 million between January and March 2025. [Source]
- The United States leads in Tor usage with 17.6% of global users (387,456 daily users), followed by Germany at 13.47% (296,712 users). [Source]
- Approximately 50% of U.S. adults reported being somewhat or very familiar with the dark web as of 2022. [Source]
- Dark web forum membership spiked 44% during COVID-19 lockdowns in spring 2020. [Source]
- The deep web comprises about 90% of the internet, while the dark web accounts for approximately 0.01%. [Source]
- Approximately 60% of dark web sites are involved in illegal activities. [Source]
- 83.27% of dark web sites are in English. [Source]
2. Dark Web Marketplaces and Economy
- The Dark Web Intelligence Market size is projected to reach $2.92 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 21.8%. [Source]
- Darknet drug sales reached approximately $470 million in 2022, up from $315 million in previous years. [Source]
- Nearly $25 billion in cryptocurrency flowed through dark web markets in 2022. [Source]
- 98% of dark web payments are made using cryptocurrency. [Source]
- The number of drug listings on dark web marketplaces surpassed 44,000 in 2022. [Source]
- 92% of cybercriminal marketplaces offer dispute resolution services. [Source]
- 77% of dark web marketplaces require vendors to hold a license, which can cost around $3,000. [Source]
- The dark web economy is estimated to generate around $1.5 billion in annual revenue from stolen data, counterfeit goods, and other illegal products. [Source]
3. Cybercrime and Threat Trends
- In 2023, there were 880,418 internet crime complaints in the U.S., resulting in $12.5 billion in losses—a 22% rise from 2022. [Source]
- 65% of active criminals utilize dark web data for cyberattacks. [Source]
- Organizations with compromised credentials found on the dark web face a 2.56x higher risk of experiencing a cyberattack. [Source]
- Data breaches posted on underground forums increased by 43% in 2024. [Source]
- 384 unique varieties of malware were sold in 2024, an increase from 349 in 2023. [Source]
- Approximately 60% of Dark Web marketplaces focus on cybercrime-related activities. [Source]
- Dark web market listings increase an organization’s likelihood of a cyber incident by 2.41x. [Source]
- Exposure from Telegram chats and forum posts can raise cyberattack risk by up to 1.75x. [Source]
4. Stolen Credentials and Data Breaches
- Over 15 billion stolen credentials were discovered on the dark web by 2022, an 82% increase from the previous year. [Source]
- Approximately 80% of email data has been leaked to the dark web. [Source]
- Identity theft accounts for over 65% of all monitored dark web activities. [Source]
- Compromised credentials available on the dark web rose 34% in 2024. [Source]
- Endpoint logs for sale increased 13% in 2024, with 7.7 million logs available. [Source]
- The average cost of a data breach in 2025 is $4.44 million globally ($10.2 million in the U.S.). [Source]
- Stolen credentials were involved in 22% of data breaches in 2023. [Source]
- U.S. organizations make up nearly 20% of total breaches posted on dark web forums. [Source]
5. Ransomware Statistics
- Ransomware attacks rose by almost 25% in 2024. [Source]
- The number of ransomware group leak sites increased by 53% in 2024. [Source]
- Ransomware groups saw a 55.5% surge in victims in 2023, totaling 5,070 victims. [Source]
- Ransomware/extortion attacks cost an average of $5.08 million. [Source]
- The global median ransom payment hit $190,000 in Q2 2023, with averages around $700,000 for companies that paid. [Source]
6. Financial Fraud and Payment Cards
- Compromised credit cards for sale rose nearly 20% in 2024, driven by a surge in U.S. cards. [Source]
- 12.7 million U.S. credit cards were listed for sale on dark web markets in 2024, a 50% increase from 2023. [Source]
- Credit card fraud represents about 15% of dark web activities. [Source]
- Stolen credit card information with CVV sells for $10-$40 on the dark web, with high-limit cards fetching $110+. [Source]
- A U.S. Social Security Number sells for as low as $1 on the dark web. [Source]
- Full identity profiles (Fullz) with name, SSN, and DOB sell for $20-$100. [Source]
- Online bank login credentials sell for $200-$1,000+ depending on account balance. [Source]
FAQ
- What is the dark web?
- The dark web is a hidden part of the internet that requires special software like Tor to access. It represents only 0.01% of the entire internet and hosts both legitimate privacy-focused content and illegal activities.
- How big is the dark web compared to the regular internet?
- The dark web represents approximately 0.01% of the total internet. The deep web (non-indexed content) comprises about 90%, while the surface web (Google-searchable content) is roughly 10%.
- How many people use the dark web daily?
- As of March 2025, over 3 million people access the Tor network daily, with the United States and Germany accounting for the largest user bases at 17.6% and 13.47% respectively.
- What percentage of the dark web is illegal?
- Approximately 60% of dark web sites are involved in illegal activities, including drug trafficking, stolen data sales, cybercrime tools, and other illicit content.
- How much do stolen credentials cost on the dark web?
- Prices vary widely: a Social Security Number sells for $1, credit cards with CVV for $10-$40, full identity profiles for $20-$100, and online bank logins for $200-$1,000+ depending on balance.