A searchable database compiled from New York City public property records has triggered criticism from prominent cryptocurrency industry figures, who say the tool could increase security risks by making it easier to identify wealthy property owners.

The dispute centers on data published by the New York City Department of Finance, which releases assessed values each year to calculate property taxes for every property in the city. The department’s FY2027 assessment roll, supplemental market value data, and property tax guides are available through the city’s Open Data portal. The clash highlights a recurring tension around government transparency: records used for tax administration and public accountability can take on different privacy implications when they are repackaged into highly searchable lists.

Critics on X said their objection is not that the underlying records are public, but that the information has been gathered, cleaned, and organized into a searchable database. They argue that the format makes it much simpler to locate owners of expensive properties and could expose them to physical danger.

Uniswap founder Hayden Adams described it as “the worst mass doxxing I've ever seen,” saying the database included nearly every unit in some luxury apartment buildings, including the primary residences of people he knows. Adams said the project applied an overly broad standard 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.”

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:

— Bernadette Hogan (@bern_hogan) July 24, 2026

Helius CEO Mert Mumtaz called the database “unsettling,” saying it crossed a line by turning previously scattered public records into a centralized resource that effectively identified 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.

Castle Island Ventures partner Nic Carter also warned that a searchable database of affluent property owners could make possible victims easier to identify. Carter 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 on X. “Yes real estate records are semi public but this is an easily searchable database and target list.”

The criticism comes amid a rise in physical attacks targeting cryptocurrency holders, often referred to as “wrench” attacks. Reported incidents have included kidnappings, torture, home invasions, and sexual assaults. The issue is especially sensitive in crypto because access to digital assets can depend on private keys, seed phrases, hardware wallets, or account credentials that attackers may try to obtain through coercion rather than online exploits.

In February, blockchain security firm CertiK reported 72 verified crypto “wrench attacks” worldwide in 2025, a 75% increase from the previous year, resulting in more than $40.9 million in losses.

In April, French authorities charged 88 suspects, including more than 10 minors, as part of 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, with recorded financial exposure rising nearly twelvefold year over year to $124 million.