Rise in Physical Attacks Targeting Cryptocurrency Investors
the term “crypto crime” might call up images of fraud or cyberthefts. But increasingly, that phrase is taking on a more sinister connotation, with the number of physical attacks on cryptocurrency investors, some of which involve violent home invasions, nearly doubling year over year in 2025, Bloomberg News reported Friday (Jan. 2).
While media coverage of the attacks tends to focus on wealthier targets like crypto execs or TikTok influencers, the report said an examination into one prolific heist crew finds that victims now include children as well as blue-collar workers like teachers and firemen.
There have been 215 documented cases of physical crypto attacks worldwide, the report added. Though, security consultant Jameson Race told Bloomberg that this figure is likely low, as many victims do not report the crimes, fearing that they’ll open themselves up to repeated thefts.
That’s what happened to Julia Goodwin, a Florida woman at the centre of the Bloomberg report. She was the victim of a targeted hack in 2021 that cost her 90% of their savings. Then, she and her husband were subjected to a home invasion, held at gunpoint by a crew of thieves who wanted access to the remainder of her crypto. (The theft was halted when her husband managed to hit the panic button on their home’s security system, the report added).
The findings from Bloomberg’s investigation follow a year in which…
The shift from purely digital crypto crime to physical attacks represents a concerning evolution in the tactics employed by criminals. Initially, the focus was on hacking exchanges, phishing scams, and exploiting vulnerabilities in smart contracts. Now, criminals are actively targeting individuals believed to possess significant cryptocurrency holdings. This is driven by several factors:
