Cheap Dark Web Access and AI Tools Fuel Attack Surge

[madtrader]

According to Chainalysis, the average “price for victim access” on the dark web has collapsed — falling from $1,427 in early 2023 to just $439 at the start of 2026.

A flood of low-cost ransomware kits, industrialized access pipelines, and AI-assisted hacking tools has lowered the barrier to entry for cybercriminals. The result: more attackers launching more campaigns — but with diminishing financial returns due to oversupply and constrained victim payouts.

Chainalysis described the market as increasingly saturated with “cheap but operationally constrained inventory,” creating a volume-driven model rather than large, headline-grabbing attacks.

[bonk]

dark web price charts looking more bearish than my portfolio