Europe Hit Hardest as Crypto Wrench Attacks Surge in H1 2026

Crypto wrench attacks have surged in the first half of 2026, according to CertiK's H1 2026 Wrench Attacks Report. Physical threats targeting crypto holders increased significantly during this period.

According to the report, 52 verified wrench attacks were recorded across the world in H1 2026, compared with 39 during the same period in the previous year. Financial exposure associated with these attacks rose from approximately $10.5 million to $124.1 million, while home invasion incidents increased from one publicly reported case in H1 2025 to 20 in H1 2026.

Europe accounted for 39 out of 52 verified incidents, with France alone recording 33 cases, making it the country with the highest number of verified wrench attacks in CertiK's dataset. The report suggests this concentration may be linked to the region's large crypto ecosystem, publicly available information that could help identify potential targets, and stronger public reporting of such incidents.

CertiK recommends custody solutions that reduce the ability of a single individual to move large amounts of cryptocurrency under coercion. Measures such as multi-party approvals, withdrawal delays, transaction caps, and staged custody can slow unauthorized transfers and provide additional time to respond.