A searchable database built from New York City public property assessment records is drawing backlash from prominent figures in the crypto industry, who say the project makes it much easier to identify wealthy property owners and could expose them to physical danger.
Criticism focuses on how public records were organized
The dispute centers on data published by the New York City Department of Finance, which each year releases assessed values used to calculate property taxes for every property in the city. The agency’s FY2027 assessment roll, supplemental market value data, and property tax guides are available through the city’s Open Data portal.
Critics on X said the issue is not that the records were public, but that they were aggregated and turned into a searchable database that makes identifying owners of expensive properties far easier.
Hayden Adams calls the database dangerous
Uniswap founder Hayden Adams called it “the worst mass doxxing I’ve ever seen,” saying the database listed nearly every unit in some luxury apartment buildings, including primary residences of people he knows. He argued that the project cast too wide a net and called it “incredibly dangerous.”
“Not only were their units listed, but nearly every unit in the entire building was listed,” Adams wrote. “They clearly took an incredibly expansive view of ‘could be’ and just doxxed a huge percentage of all expensive apartments in New York City.”
He said the city had published a list of all properties, along with the names of owners, that could be subject to the new pied a terre tax in what he described as a very easy-to-search Excel sheet.
“The city published a list of all properties -- and the names of the owners -- that *could be* subject to the new pied a terre tax in a very easy to search Excel sheet.”
Mert Mumtaz says the line was crossed
Helius CEO Mert Mumtaz called the database “unsettling” and said it crossed a line by turning scattered public records into a centralized resource that effectively singled out wealthy individuals.
“While this data was largely public prior to this in a messy way they have cleaned it, organized it, singled out ‘the rich,’ and mass distributed it only the 50th sign this year of privacy continuing to become scarcer,” he wrote.
Nic Carter links the issue to real-world attacks
Castle Island Ventures partner Nic Carter warned that an easily searchable database of affluent property owners could make potential victims easier to identify. On X, he pointed to recent crypto-related kidnappings and violent attacks in Europe.
“So this is a list of wealthy people and their addresses. As we’ve seen in France and Sweden this leads to crypto kidnappings, torturings and murders,” Carter wrote. “Yes real estate records are semi public but this is an easily searchable database and target list.”
Backlash comes as wrench attacks keep rising
The criticism comes as physical, or “wrench,” attacks against cryptocurrency holders continue to rise. Reported incidents have included kidnappings, torture, home invasions, and sexual assaults.
In February, blockchain security firm CertiK reported 72 verified crypto wrench attacks worldwide in 2025, up 75% from the previous year, with losses exceeding $40.9 million.
In April, French authorities charged 88 suspects, including more than 10 minors, in a broad crackdown on violent crypto kidnappings. In May, U.S. prosecutors indicted three men accused of carrying out a series of armed home invasions across California that allegedly stole millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. In June, two Texas brothers pleaded guilty to kidnapping a Minnesota family and forcing the victims to transfer more than $8 million in crypto.
By July, CertiK said attackers had already carried out 52 verified crypto wrench attacks in the first half of 2026, while recorded financial exposure had jumped nearly twelvefold year over year to $124 million.