Physical attacks on cryptocurrency holders are appearing more frequently in 2026 than before. According to a new analysis by Chainalysis, criminals obtained more than 30 million dollars through this method during the first half of the year. However, the data also shows that most attempts end without payment and the blockchain trail can help investigators track stolen funds. France has emerged as the biggest hotspot for such cases this year.
Cryptocurrency security is no longer just a matter of strong passwords, hardware wallets, or protection against phishing. With the growing proliferation of digital assets, the attention of some criminal groups is also shifting directly to their owners. So-called “wrench attacks” use physical violence or its threat to force victims to transfer cryptocurrencies.
According to a new analysis by Chainalysis, 46 violent incidents related to cryptocurrencies were documented worldwide by the end of this June. During the same period last year, there were 40. Cases include kidnappings, home invasions, or holding victims hostage.
Article Contents:
Over 30 Million Dollars. But the Record May Not Be Broken Yet
Attackers obtained more than 30 million dollars through successful violent attacks this year. If the current pace continues in the second half of the year, 2026 could surpass the previous record from 2025, when approximately 58 million dollars were stolen in a similar manner.
However, the number alone does not tell the whole story. Of the 46 documented attempts this year, only 12 ended with a transfer of funds. The perpetrators’ success rate was thus 26 percent. In 2025, 49 percent of attempts were successful, and a year earlier as many as 67 percent. So while the number of cases is growing, the likelihood that attackers will actually obtain the requested funds has significantly decreased.
Chainalysis also warns that available data probably does not capture all cases. Some victims do not report attacks, and the true extent of the problem may be higher.
Even with the increase in the number of incidents, this is not a situation that affects the average cryptocurrency holder at every turn. Chainalysis itself points out that violent attacks on digital asset holders are still rare in absolute numbers. Moreover, the share of illegal activity remains small according to the firm compared to legitimate use of cryptocurrencies.
You Might Be Interested: Interview with Lucien Bourdon from Trezor
Criminals Often Select Victims in Advance
The analysis shows that the perpetrators of violence themselves may not be particularly technologically proficient. However, the organization of the attack can be considerably more sophisticated.
Chainalysis describes the situation as perpetrators’ approach being quite amateurish at the moment of actual violence, but more professional before and after. Victims are often identified based on leaked databases, information published on social media, or data obtained from people in their circle. The actual assault can then be carried out by less experienced groups hired through messaging apps.
This pushes the issue of cryptocurrency security beyond the boundaries of securing the wallet itself. For holders of larger amounts of digital assets, it may be equally important how much information they disclose about their wealth and whether their blockchain activity can be easily linked to their real identity.
Increasingly, it is not only the holders of cryptocurrencies themselves who become targets. According to Chainalysis, family members and other close individuals account for approximately a quarter to a third of this year’s cases. Perpetrators use them as a means of pressure on the actual owner of the assets.
France Has Become the Main Hotspot for Attacks
The most significant increase has been recorded in France. Chainalysis documented 30 publicly known cases by mid-year, while there were 19 for the entire year of 2025. Data from French authorities are even significantly higher.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated at the end of June that authorities recorded 77 cases of kidnapping, detention, extortion, or attempts at similar crimes related to the cryptocurrency sector during the first half of the year. For the entire year of 2025, France recorded 45 similar cases.
The French government is therefore expanding security measures for people working in the cryptocurrency sector. The system includes faster identification of at-risk individuals, information sharing between security forces and cryptocurrency companies, and closer coordination in investigating organized groups. According to French data, operations so far have led to approximately two hundred arrests.
According to Chainalysis, the sharp increase in France may not be due to the spread of cryptocurrencies themselves, but primarily to the leak of sensitive personal data.
Read More: Anycoin Review
Perpetrators Were Helped by Leaked Investor Information
One of the main causes of this year’s French development is said to be the alleged misuse of databases from the local tax administration. A French tax official allegedly illegally obtained information about wealthier cryptocurrency investors and then sold it to people connected to the criminal world. The data was supposed to include, for example, names, addresses, phone numbers, tax information, or information about held assets.
Another incident concerned the company Waltio, which helps users with tax returns related to cryptocurrencies. In January, the firm announced a security incident affecting data of approximately 50,000 users.
Waltio subsequently clarified that attackers did not obtain private keys, wallet addresses, banking details, or information enabling direct transfer of cryptocurrencies. However, email addresses and data on the value of some cryptocurrency positions leaked, which can help criminals identify potentially wealthy victims. The firm also emphasized that the incident was not related to an attack on the blockchain or Web3 protocol, but on traditional database infrastructure.
It is precisely the combination of such data leaks, public posts on social media, and other available information that can allow perpetrators to create lists of potential targets.
Blockchain Can Also Be a Weakness for Perpetrators
The way perpetrators subsequently handle stolen cryptocurrencies varies significantly. Some send funds directly to centralized cryptocurrency exchanges with virtually no attempt to disguise their origin. This can be advantageous for investigators, as regulated platforms use customer identity verification and can freeze suspicious funds.
More experienced groups use decentralized exchanges, blockchain bridges, and moving assets between individual networks. The most sophisticated cases, according to Chainalysis, also show links to broader organized crime infrastructure and specialized services used for money laundering.
But this is where a characteristic of cryptocurrencies that can help investigators comes into play. Transfers on public blockchains create a traceable transaction trail. Even if perpetrators transfer or exchange funds for other assets several times, analytical tools can track their further movement and link individual wallets.
Chainalysis therefore points out that investigations of physical crimes and blockchain analytics are increasingly intertwined. For perpetrators who send cryptocurrencies directly to a centralized exchange after an attack, blockchain transparency can be a critical problem.
For Investors, Discretion Is the Main Defense
The new data thus does not represent a reason to avoid cryptocurrencies. Rather, it points to another area of security that especially people with larger portfolios must consider, similar to owners of other valuable property.
In addition to secure storage of private keys, Chainalysis mainly recommends not disclosing the size of one’s own portfolio, limiting the connection of real identity with public blockchain addresses, and paying attention to what personal information is available on the internet.
Moreover, this year’s development shows two opposing trends. While the number of violent attacks is growing, their success rate has dropped to just 26 percent. At the same time, cooperation between police, cryptocurrency companies, and blockchain analysts is improving. Cryptocurrency security is thus gradually expanding from a purely technological discipline into the area of identity protection and physical security – similar to other forms of highly valuable property.
Don’t Miss: MadisonSix
