Bali Wrench Attack: Russian Crypto Holder Held 30 Hours Until He Spilled the Seed 🔑

A Russian national was held for roughly 30 hours in Bali by assailants who beat him until he surrendered access to his cryptocurrency account, according to local police, who are now searching for the perpetrators. The victim, identified by the initials AI, was stopped near Pecatu in South Kuta on July 2 at about 9:35 p.m. as he left a restaurant on a motorcycle. Two masked men in a black Nissan Serena blocked his path, placed him in plastic handcuffs, covered his head, and drove him to a two-story building, where he was punched and kicked for nearly 30 hours until he gave up his account password.

The attackers seized his Xiaomi phone, then used his villa keys to enter his home and take a second device linked to his wallet. The victim was released on July 4 outside Udayana University Hospital, where he received emergency treatment. Bali Police spokesman Senior Commissioner Ariasandy said investigators are reviewing CCTV footage and phone data across the crime scenes, and no arrests have been announced. Police are still assessing the value of the stolen crypto and working to verify the suspects' identities.

The incident fits a broader global pattern of physical "wrench attacks" targeting crypto holders, in which perpetrators use violence or coercion rather than hacking to obtain digital assets. France has recorded 77 crypto-related kidnappings and extortions since January 2026, according to figures cited by French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, who has outlined a three-pillar security plan to address the threat. Indonesian authorities have not indicated any link between the Bali case and the cases reported in France, and the investigation in Pecatu remains ongoing.