2025 Reports 60 'Wrench Attacks' on Crypto Holders, a Record High

According to ChainCatcher, Ari Redbord, head of global policy and government affairs at crypto analytics firm TRM Labs, noted that "2025 was a record year for wrench attacks," with approximately 60 reported physical attacks targeting holders of crypto assets throughout the year. This number significantly exceeds the second-highest known number of wrench attacks in 2024 (around 41 incidents) and 2021 (36 incidents). Although the true number of wrench attacks is difficult to accurately quantify, the risk to victims is clearly increasing, or at the very least, public awareness of such threats is rising. "The real number is likely much higher," Redbord added. "Many cases are only recorded as regular robberies or burglaries, with the crypto asset element overlooked; others are never reported due to victims' hesitation or doubts about law enforcement's ability to handle crypto-related crimes." The cybersecurity risk known as a "wrench attack" gets its name from a concept: even the most sophisticated encryption and data security measures can be compromised through physical coercion—just as in the scenario of being threatened with a "five-dollar wrench."