New York Tax List Sparks Privacy Alarm for Crypto Holders

New York City recently published a massive database containing over 31,000 homes, complete with exact street addresses and apartment numbers. The file aims to identify secondary residences that owe a new tax targeting condos worth over $1 million and houses worth over $5 million. While officials created the list for tax collection, prominent crypto figures are sounding the alarm.

Founders and investors quickly pointed out that the spreadsheet essentially functions as a directory of wealthy residents. Uniswap founder Hayden Adams noted that the city cast such a wide net that it effectively exposed a huge percentage of expensive apartments in Manhattan. Helius CEO Mert Mumtaz added that while property data was technically public before, cleaning and organizing it into a single download makes it dangerous.

Security concerns are rising globally as physical attacks targeting digital asset holders increase. Industry reports show a sharp jump in violent extortion attempts and home invasions over the past year, particularly in Europe. Security researchers warn that bad actors combine public real estate records with leaked personal data to target wealthy individuals.

Although the New York tax list contains no blockchain or wallet data, critics argue it provides a missing puzzle piece for criminals who already suspect someone owns digital assets. Homeowners have until late September to object to their inclusion on the roll, and the city will release a final version at the end of December.