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Global Surge in ‘Wrench Attacks’ Highlights Growing Physical Security Risks for Crypto Holders

Incidents of violent theft targeting cryptocurrency investors rose sharply in 2025, with documented wrench attacks increasing 169%, according to data from Jameson Lopp.

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Summary

Physical assaults targeting cryptocurrency holders, known as “wrench attacks” (violence to force key surrender), have surged in 2025. Threats ranged from organized crime syndicates to opportunists using social media oversharing to identify victims, with attacks reported from Paris to New York, Sweden, and Thailand. Data tracked by crypto veteran Jameson Lopp shows over 260 recorded physical bitcoin-related attacks since 2014, with wrench attacks rising by at least 169% this year, suggesting actual figures may be higher. Safety measures now include enhanced operational security, armed protection, insurance policies from firms like Lloyd’s of London, and wallet security features like silent alerts and data erasure. Meanwhile, GoPlus reported $4.7M in 2025 revenue, driven primarily by its GoPlus App and SafeToken Protocol, and saw heavy usage of its Token Security API and $GPS token trading volumes.

Terms & Concepts
  • Wrench Attack: A form of theft where criminals use physical violence or threats to force victims to surrender cryptocurrency private keys or access credentials.
  • Operational Security (OpSec): Procedures and measures taken to protect critical assets from physical or digital compromise, including privacy protections and risk mitigation strategies.
  • Token Security API: An application programming interface providing automated checks on cryptocurrencies for potential risks, scams, or vulnerabilities before executing transactions.