The going rate for stolen Russian personal information on the dark web has more than doubled since late last year, according to a new analysis from Smart Business Alert (SBA), a service of ECA PRO. The findings point to a volatile, strategy-driven black market for data.
Analysts report the average price for databases containing Russian personal records now sits at roughly 50 cents per thousand entries, up from about 20 cents in late 2025. For more exclusive packages—those including scanned documents or highly specific details—the price can reach one dollar per thousand entries.
Experts attribute this sharp increase to two immediate factors: seasonal demand and data quality. At the start of the year, fraudulent groups typically refresh their data troves, seeking new information to execute complex scams. The current offerings are also believed to contain a significant amount of previously unseen data not found in freely circulating leaks.
A notable tactic has also solidified: many criminals now sell a database first, then deliberately leak it publicly. This move prevents competitors from reselling the same data at a higher margin. In fact, approximately 80% of dark web databases are distributed for free, often to build a seller's reputation or attract a clientele for future, more valuable sales. Data is also dumped publicly as a form of retaliation when a victim company refuses to pay a ransom.
Despite the current spike, the long-term trend shows a steady decline in data prices, driven by a saturated market flooded with repetitive leaks from minor sites. Many threat actors now bypass public dark web forums entirely, selling data directly to operators of phishing call centers or information-brokering bots for a better profit.
SBA specialists predict prices will fall to 25-30 cents per thousand entries by mid-2026, potentially dropping to 15 cents by year-end—unless a major, unique data breach disrupts the market anew. The report follows recent warnings from Russian authorities about new fraudulent schemes, including fake "preferential mobile tariffs," that leverage such stolen information.
Source: Lenta.RU