Crypto home invasions surged to 20 in H1 2026, CertiK says

Europe accounted for 39 of the 52 verified incidents. France alone made up 33, or nearly two-thirds of the global total. CertiK said it used a narrower methodology than French authorities, counting only publicly reported incidents it could independently verify.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said on July 2 that authorities had recorded 77 crypto-linked kidnappings, extortion cases or attempted extortion cases during the first half of 2026, up from 45 in the entire year of 2025. The concentration in France may reflect the country's more visible crypto ecosystem, with data breaches and information connecting identities and home addresses with perceived crypto wealth, CertiK said.

In response, French authorities launched a dedicated prevention platform and a rapid-alert system for crypto holders and professionals. Nuñez said emergency measures have resulted in 200 arrests.

The rise in physical coercion challenges conventional self-custody advice, CertiK said. The firm recommended multisignature or multiparty computation arrangements, withdrawal delays, spending limits and geographically separated signers so one threatened person cannot immediately release all available assets.