Executive Summary:
- As cryptocurrency increasingly becomes more mainstream, a new trend has emerged: violent kidnappings and attacks targeting people just for their crypto holdings.
- Over the last 18 months there have been 231 documented physical incidents — abductions, home invasions, and other coercive attacks — aimed at individuals known or believed to hold significant cryptocurrency.
- The US has had 48 confirmed crypto-related kidnappings since 2019.
- Maintain privacy and discretion. Keep crypto holdings, wallet addresses, and large transfers off social media or public forums.
Situation Report (SITREP):
As cryptocurrency increasingly becomes more mainstream, a new trend has emerged: violent kidnappings and attacks targeting people just for their crypto holdings. Over the last 18 months there have been 231 documented physical incidents, to include abductions, home invasions, and other coercive attacks, aimed at individuals known or believed to hold significant cryptocurrency. At least six of those cases ended in fatalities. These attacks leverage crypto’s advantages — its speed, decentralization, and perceived anonymity — to demand large ransoms, often transferred before the perpetrators disappear. The biggest targets are “crypto elites,” the founders, traders, executives, and influencers, especially those who are public about their wealth. If your crypto holdings are known, you become a bigger risk. But it’s not just the famous or very wealthy. Everyday users are increasingly vulnerable to opportunists who use social engineering, threats, and even drugs to steal wallet credentials or force transfers.
While Latin America and Southeast Asia saw early clusters, now Europe and the United States (US) are catching up. In fact, the US has had 48 confirmed crypto-related kidnappings since 2019. France, for example, has experienced a number of high-profile incidents in 2025 alone, including abductions and very violent demands. Methods include “wrench attacks” or violent coercion, torture, forced disclosure of private keys. One example: an Italian investor was held for 17 days under horrific conditions until captors gained access to ~$28 million in Bitcoin. Additionally, fraudsters may use a combination of “spiking and social engineering” by pretending to be ride-share drivers, slipping drugs, or tricking victims to access their devices and crypto. One case: in London, someone impersonated an Uber driver, drugged a passenger, then drained ~$123,000 in Bitcoin and XRP. Another identified tactic includes “coercion in public spaces,” in which case robberies where victims are forced, under threat, to transfer crypto on the spot.
Impact Analysis and Recommended Course of Action:
Perfectly personifying the mix of physical and cyber security, and counter or risk prevention measures need to be layered- like any good cybersecurity system. Use multi-signature wallets, where more than one key is needed to authorize a transaction. That way a thief having just one key is not enough. Leverage multi-party computation (MPC) systems: private keys are never held in full by a single device/person; they’re split among multiple parties/devices. Distribute seed phrase storage: don’t keep all backup or recovery phrases in one place. Use methods that split or share them across different secure locations. Maintain privacy and discretion. Keep crypto holdings, wallet addresses, and large transfers off social media or public forums. Avoid display of wealth (luxury items, photos, travel tags) that might make you a target. Be cautious in public spaces and with people you don’t know well (e.g. ride-shares, service providers). This trend shifts our understanding of crypto risk. It’s not only about hacks, scams, or market volatility anymore — there is a real, physical danger if criminals believe someone has wealth they can’t trace easily. “Digital assets” isn’t just a technical category; the people who control them can be hunted in the physical world. Security has to evolve accordingly.
Crypto kidnappings are a growing threat. As wealth in crypto becomes more visible and as transactions remain irreversible, the incentives for violent crime increase. For anyone holding meaningful crypto, it’s essential to take a multi-layered approach to safety: technical tools, privacy culture, and physical protection.
About RMS International:
Founded in 2012, RMS International provides ad hoc and contracted close protection, estate security, international travel management, corporate executive protection, personnel and asset security, and discreet investigative services. Operating a state-of-the-art Risk Operations Center in West Palm Beach, they provide 24/7 overwatch of global operations in Asia, Europe, Africa and throughout the Americas. RMS International delivers peace of mind in a chaotic world. Connect with us at RMSIUSA.com