France is the worst-hit country with 30 known incidents. The report warns that unreported cases likely make the true figure higher. Interior Minister Nuñez said 77 kidnappings or extortions in H1.
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Physical attacks against cryptocurrency holders stole more than $30 million in the first half of 2026, according to a Chainalysis report. The blockchain analytics firm counted 46 violent incidents globally through June, up from 40 in the same period last year. If the pace holds, the year could surpass the record $58 million stolen in all of 2025.
The so-called “wrench attacks” include kidnappings and home invasions. Criminals identify victims through data leaks, social media and insider reports, then send low-skilled groups to carry out the robbery. Only 26% of attempts ended in a payment, Chainalysis said, down from 49% in 2025. The firm warned that the known figures likely underestimate the true scale because many cases go unreported.
France is the worst-hit country. Chainalysis recorded 30 publicly known incidents through mid-year, up from 19 in all of 2025. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez put the number higher: 77 kidnappings, extortions or extortion attempts in the first half, compared with 45 in the previous year. The government responded with a rapid alert system, more protection for victims and better coordination with the crypto industry.
The main driver behind the surge appears to be the alleged misuse of French tax records. An official reportedly accessed and sold information on cryptocurrency investors to criminal groups. That was compounded by a breach at the tax filing platform Waltio, which exposed data from about 50,000 users.
When it came to moving stolen funds, the report described varying levels of sophistication. Some attackers sent assets directly to centralized exchanges. Others used bridges, decentralized exchanges and laundering services. The most advanced cases showed ties to larger criminal networks, Chainalysis said.
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