Home / Business and Economy / Crypto Investors Brace for Kidnapping Epidemic as Attacks Surge
Crypto Investors Brace for Kidnapping Epidemic as Attacks Surge
17 Nov
Summary
- Crypto investors targeted by over 60 kidnapping and torture incidents this year
- Victims include co-founder of crypto hardware firm Ledger, whose finger was cut off
- Investors learn self-defense tactics like biting through plastic zip-ties to escape
In the past year, the cryptocurrency industry has been rocked by a wave of violent attacks targeting wealthy investors. According to reports, crypto investors or their families have been targeted more than 60 times in 2025 alone, in a string of gruesome kidnappings and extortion attempts that have shocked the industry.
The recent surge in these "wrench attacks" has been fueled by the skyrocketing price of Bitcoin, which reached a record high of $126,000 last month. This has minted a new generation of crypto millionaires and billionaires, many of whom lack adequate personal security. Crypto transactions are also appealing targets for kidnappers, as they are instantaneous and irreversible, allowing criminals to quickly move stolen funds.
To address this growing threat, crypto security experts have begun offering specialized services, including panic button apps and "white-glove protection" for high-net-worth investors. Some investors have also taken matters into their own hands, attending self-defense workshops to learn techniques like biting through plastic zip-ties and striking attackers' clavicles and kneecaps. However, the experts caution that even the most sophisticated security measures cannot eliminate the risk entirely, and that the safety of one's life should always take priority over any amount of cryptocurrency.
