Bitcoin News Today: Bitcoiner Kidnapped Weekly as Wrench Attacks Surge 80% in 2025

Alena Vranova, founder of SatoshiLabs, has raised alarm about a troubling rise in "wrench attacks"—physical assaults, abductions, and extortions—targeting Bitcoin holders in an effort to steal private keys. Speaking at the Baltic Honeybadger 2025 conference in Riga, Latvia, Vranova stated that “every week, there is a Bitcoiner, at least one in the world, who gets kidnapped, tortured, extorted, and sometimes even worse” [1]. The attacks are not limited to high-profile investors; even those with as little as $6,000 in crypto have been targeted, and in some cases, victims have been murdered for $50,000 in assets.

Vranova emphasized that this is not a hypothetical concern. The rise in physical attacks has been documented, with 2025 already witnessing a significant increase compared to previous years [1]. The attacks are not random; they are often linked to data breaches from centralized platforms. Vranova cited that over 80 million Bitcoiner and crypto user identities have been leaked online, with 2.2 million including home addresses [1]. These leaks provide violent criminals with valuable intelligence to identify and target individuals.

The correlation between wrench attacks and Bitcoin price trends is notable, with attack frequency spiking during bull markets [1]. This dynamic suggests that as the value of Bitcoin rises, so does the motivation for criminals to target holders through physical means. Vranova also highlighted the role of centralized custodians in magnifying the threat. In May, Coinbase disclosed a data breach that exposed home addresses and other identifying information of some customers. In June, a report from Cybernews revealed databases with over 16 billion leaked login credentials from major platforms, further increasing the risk of phishing, identity theft, and social engineering attacks against crypto holders [1].

Vranova’s remarks underscore the urgent need for Bitcoiners and crypto users to implement personal safety measures, including secure storage solutions and privacy protocols. The increasing frequency of wrench attacks highlights a broader issue: the physical and digital vulnerabilities of individuals in the crypto space. As the industry continues to grow, so does the attention—and in some cases, the danger—from criminal elements.

[1] Source: title: At least 1 Bitcoiner gets kidnapped every week — Crypto exec (url: https://cointelegraph.com/news/1-bitcoiner-kidnapped-every-week-cyrpto-exec?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound)