Another Crypto Trader Tortured and Executed Over His Digital Wallet – How Many Have Been Killed in 2025?

A horrifying new crypto crime case has shocked the world as a man in southern Spain was reportedly kidnapped, tortured and executed for access to his cryptocurrency wallet. What's worse is that this tragic incident is just the latest grim example of a growing global trend in violent crime linked to digital assets.

As more people accumulate wealth in cryptocurrencies, criminals appear more and more willing to resort to extreme violence to seize it, and this is generating a lot of fear about how many lives have already been lost in 2025.

The Alleged Spanish Killing Over Crypto Wallet

According to the latest reports coming from Spain, in what has been described as a 'crypto-kidnapping' by most reports, five people have been arrested over the abduction and killing of a man who was targeted for his crypto holdings.

The victim and his partner were reportedly ambushed in April in southern Spain. When he attempted to flee, the assailants apparently shot him in the leg. Then, both victims were taken to a place where, over several hours, the attackers allegedly attempted to force access the man's cryptocurrency wallets.

Shockingly, the woman was released at midnight and went on to alert the authorities. However, later, officers found the man's body dumped in a wooded area near Mijas in Malaga province. Harrowingly, his corpse showed 'evident signs of violence' far more than the gunshot wound.

Moreover, investigations by law enforcement uncovered weapons and clothing stained with blood in raids in Madrid and Malaga, as per sources. Furthermore, four additional suspects are reportedly charged in Denmark, implying a cross-border criminal network behind the alleged plot.

Authorities have not yet publicly confirmed the identity of the victim as of this writing or given details about the size of the cryptocurrency holdings allegedly involved, but the brutality of the crime and its focus on accessing digital assets is causing fear and paranoia across the world.

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How Many People Have Been Killed by Crypto Crimes?

As it turns out, unfortunately, this is not an isolated event. According to security and crime analysis reports, like one by Crisis 24, 2025 has seen a huge rise in violent crimes tied to cryptocurrency holdings. Globally speaking, criminals are shifting more from purely digital heists to 'wrench attacks' which include kidnappings, torture, coercion, that are intended to force victims to hand over wallet keys or seed phrases.

Moreover, data compiled by Chainalysis shows that by the middle of 2025, personal wallet compromises (including physical coercion) now account for nearly a quarter (23.35% to be exact) of all stolen crypto value worldwide.

In one high-profile case earlier this year, three men in New York were reportedly indicted for the alleged kidnapping and torture of a 28-year-old Italian man in a Manhattan townhouse. According to police, the attackers demanded his Bitcoin password, holding him captive and subjecting him to shock and assault for weeks. The victim escaped, and the suspects were arrested.

There are so many more such crime reports, as the Crisis 24 report on crypto-crime estimated that there have been at least 231 physical attacks, including kidnappings, home invasions and violent coercion targeting crypto holders globally over the past 18 months. Of those, at least six victims are known to have died.

Unfortunately, given the case in Spain, confirmed just days ago, the official death toll among crypto holders in 2025 may now stand at a minimum of seven, though the real number could be higher due to underreporting and delayed investigations.