Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01399
The analysis noted that attacks were no longer the exclusive domain of
ConstrainedCase description
A comprehensive year-end analysis by TRM Labs described 2025 as 'a record year for wrench attacks' with approximately 60 documented physical assaults on cryptocurrency holders, noting that the true count was 'likely significantly higher' due to under-reporting. The analysis noted that attacks were no longer the exclusive domain of ultra-high-net-worth targets: victims in 2025 included teachers, construction workers, and individuals with modest holdings—targeted because their cryptocurrency ownership was discoverable through social media posts, public blockchain analytics, or compromised exchange KYC databases. The expansion of the target pool from wealthy executives to ordinary holders was identified as the defining characteristic of the 2025 threat landscape.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Physical coercion |
| Custody system | Hardware wallet (single key) |
| Outcome | Constrained |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2025 |
| Country | International |
Structural dependencies observed
What this illustrates
Access required in-person verification that couldn't be arranged under the circumstances. Whether full access was ultimately possible is unclear, but significant delay or outside intervention was involved.
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible, but only with delay, dependence, or significant difficulty.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
News article
Related cases involving physical coercion
105 cases involve physical coercion
274 cases involve hardware wallet (single key)
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This archive documents observed custody survivability failures. It does not attempt to document all Bitcoin losses or security incidents.
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Framework references
Where Bitcoin Custody Intersects Legal and Fiduciary Authority
Where custody creates gaps in estate planning, fiduciary duty, and professional responsibility.
Professional Scope Boundary Matrix
What each professional or product covers, what they do not, and where gaps form between them.
The Independent Assessment Layer in Bitcoin Custody
How independent diagnostic layers emerge when multiple parties depend on shared infrastructure.