Physical crypto extortion involves gangs- often connected to organised crime- who specifically target victims to gain access to their crypto funds.

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In the past, layers of protection involved solid cybersecurity measures to fortify assets at the digital level. Now, however, these gangs are using direct, physical aggression to close in on victims and force them to transfer their funds. Also known as "wrench attacks," this form of crime has seen a sharp rise, particularly in Western Europe.

The Appeal of Crypto Kidnappings to Gangs:

There are clear reasons why this type of crime is rising. As Rohan Rathod, the co-founder of Solistic, points out: "With crypto, once money is sent it is gone. There is no bank to freeze it or reverse it. That is why these criminals shifted from hacking wallets to kidnapping the people who hold them."

Solistic builds the infrastructure for on-chain finance, handling the settlement, tokenisation, and interoperability layers that institutions need to operate.

Yet Mr Rathod notes that the very transparency that makes crypto theft appealing also comes with a catch: "every ransom they demand is permanently recorded."

He says that investigators can use various blockchain-tracing tools from companies such as Chainanalysis and Elliptic to follow the money across the chain to the exchange, where the gangs try to cash out.

In my work in protective intelligence and personal safety, I've encountered the unfortunate victims of such crimes. When discussing what happened, a clear pattern emerges, showing these gangs consistently rely on the same breaching methods.

One of my primary roles is to provide advice to help clients increase their situational awareness and become more mindful of their surroundings. While my goal is to help people avoid becoming victims in the first place, many individuals only initiate preventive measures after they have been through a painful and costly experience, driven by a strong desire to ensure it never happens again.

I was recently a guest on a Podcast called The Martial Podcast, hosted by self-defence author Mark Jacobs. During our discussion, I talked about my physical training experiences and travel adventures, but I also shared the importance of blending in, moving through urban........

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