Physical Crypto Attacks Exceed $30M in 2026, France at Epicenter

Chainalysis released a report documenting a significant increase in physical attacks against cryptocurrency holders, known as 'wrench attacks', which have already exceeded $30 million stolen in the first half of 2026. This marks a dramatic escalation from 2025, where only $58 million was stolen for the entire year.

The firm recorded 46 violent incidents linked to cryptocurrencies globally through June, up from 40 in the same period last year. While most crypto crime unfolds online, physical violence against holders is accelerating, with France emerging as the primary global hotspot.

Chainalysis warns that the known figures likely underestimate the true scale of the problem, given that many cases go unreported. The report identifies an operational pattern where criminals combine sophistication at the planning stages with blunt execution on the ground, resulting in a 26% success rate for effective payments.

The main factor behind the increase in attacks is attributed to the alleged misuse of French tax records, which were accessed and sold to criminal organizations. France's Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, raised the number of kidnappings, extortions, or extortion attempts in the first half of the year to 77, compared to 45 recorded during the entire previous year.