ALERT: The Number of Violent Crypto Crimes Is Rising 

Bitcoiner Jameson Lopp has been keeping track of physical Bitcoin attacks since December 2014. Based on his records on GitHub, while there were just three or four attacks in a whole year in the early 2010s, the number of attacks in January 2025 alone was eight.

As cryptocurrency prices rise, investors and founders are being targeted by criminals across different parts of the world.

One of the recent cases was the kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland and his wife in Vierzon, France. They were abducted from their home and taken to separate locations, where criminals demanded a large ransom in cryptocurrency.

As a result of the investigation, police officers managed to locate Balland and his wife. Balland was treated by emergency services and hospitalized due to “hand mutilation.”

In 2024, there were 26 physical crypto attacks, including the case of 23-year-old Ukrainian Viacheslav Leibov, who was robbed of 8 million baht (about $222,000) in Phuket, Thailand. Viacheslav thought he was visiting a friend but was instead met by a group of armed men who forced him to transfer crypto.

Police arrested four individuals related to the case.

Jameson Lopp’s index of violent cases shows that 2024 saw a record number of attacks so far. This isn’t a coincidence, as 2024 was a bullish period for crypto, with new highs, institutional interest, and increased investments.

“No clue, but my gut says most attacks are not publicized,” he wrote on X in December 2024.

How to Stay Safe in Crypto? 

Criminals don’t just go after the people holding the private keys – they target family members too.

On New Year’s Eve 2025, a 56-year-old man, the father of a crypto influencer, was kidnapped in Ain, France. The police later found him kilometers away, tied up in the trunk of a car near Le Mans.

Staying safe in crypto isn’t just about securing your digital assets – it’s about protecting yourself and those around you. The first rule is to keep quiet about your holdings. 

The more people know about your crypto wealth, the bigger a target you become. Bragging online, even in private groups, can attract the wrong kind of attention. Criminals have been known to track victims through social media and forums, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Physical security is just as important as digital security. If you’re deeply involved in the crypto space, having home surveillance, alarm systems, and even a security detail for high-risk individuals isn’t overkill – it’s smart.

In an interview with Unchained podcast host Laura Shin, Jameson Lopp mentioned that attackers tend to follow certain patterns when choosing their victims. He said that avoiding risky activities, like buying and selling large amounts of crypto in person, could significantly reduce the likelihood of being targeted.