Crypto wrench attacks surge, $124 M exposure reported

Blockchain security firm CertiK verified 52 cryptocurrency "wrench" attacks worldwide in the first half of 2026, a 33 % rise from the 39 incidents recorded the same period in 2025. The attacks, which involve physical violence, intimidation or threats to force victims to hand over private keys or authorize transfers, generated roughly $124 million in financial exposure, up from $10.5 million a year earlier.

Home invasions now dominate the threat vector, rising from a single case in H1 2025 to 20 incidents in H1 2026 – a twenty‑fold increase. Europe accounts for about three‑quarters of the verified cases, with France alone responsible for 33 incidents. Other tactics include kidnappings and rare murders. CertiK warns the figures likely under‑count the true scale, as many victims do not report the crimes.

The report calls for stronger custodial safeguards such as multisignature wallets, withdrawal delays, transaction caps and emergency freeze mechanisms to mitigate the risk that coerced individuals can empty large crypto holdings.