Crypto▼ Bearish
Wrench Attacks Jump 33% in H1 2026 as France Leads With 33 Incidents
Violent crypto kidnappings surged to 52 incidents in the first half of 2026, with France accounting for 33. Financial losses hit $124M, up from $10.5M a year earlier, CertiK data show.
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Violent kidnappings targeting crypto holders are rising fast. Blockchain security firm CertiK recorded 52 wrench attacks in the first half of 2026, up 33.3% from the same period a year earlier.
Financial exposure tied to those incidents hit $124.18 million, CertiK said. That is more than ten times the $10.5 million reported in the first half of 2025. The figures include ransom demands, funds transferred by victims and assets frozen by authorities.
France remains the epicenter. The country accounted for 33 of the 52 attacks this year. CertiK attributed the concentration to a large, visible crypto ecosystem and a series of major data breaches at French public and private institutions.