‘A record year for wrench attacks’: How crypto holders can maintain physical security amid rising risks

2025 marked a significant increase in “wrench attacks”—physical assaults targeting cryptocurrency holders—with approximately 60 reported incidents, likely a substantial undercount due to underreporting. These attacks highlight the vulnerability of even the most secure digital assets to physical coercion, as sophisticated encryption can be bypassed by force. While crypto exploits linked to protocol vulnerabilities also rose with prices, wrench attacks pose a unique threat to both assets and personal safety. Experts recommend reducing exposure through privacy practices, strengthening key management with multi-signature wallets and passphrase protection, and implementing physical security training. Strategies include separating everyday funds from long-term holdings, establishing decoy accounts, and conducting simulated high-risk scenarios. The increasing frequency of these attacks, exemplified by incidents like the kidnapping of a Ledger co-founder, underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to security that extends beyond digital wallet management.

(Source：The Block)