Crypto Wrench Attacks Could Reach Record High in 2026, CertiK Projects

Blockchain security firm CertiK projects that 2026 will close with 130 crypto wrench attacks and hundreds of millions in losses. 

The projection comes as physical violence against digital asset holders continues to accelerate.

Crypto Wrench Attacks Jump 41% in Early 2026 

The firm recorded 34 verified incidents between January and April, a 41% year-over-year jump. The estimated losses reached roughly $101 million across ransom payments, frozen funds, and failed demands.

“The monthly breakdown shows 13 incidents in January (vs. 9 in January 2025), 5 in February (vs. 6), 10 in March (vs. 7), and 5 in April (vs. 2). The February dip reflects the delayed effect of large-scale police operations conducted across Europe in late January, before a sharp rebound in March,” the report read.

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Europe accounted for 28 of the 34 attacks, up sharply from 39.5% of the 2025 total. France alone logged 24 cases in four months, exceeding the 20 recorded throughout last year.

Officials at the French Interior Ministry confirmed 41 incidents linked to physical attack have occurred since January, roughly one every 2.5 days. Meanwhile, all other regions declined, with North America falling from 9 to 3 and Asia from 25 to 2.

Attackers historically required physical surveillance to identify targets. CertiK now attributes France’s surge to the presence of several flagship industry companies, sensitive data breaches, and a culture of public wealth disclosure.

CertiK said that as wallet and protocol security tighten, attackers are migrating toward the human layer of the crypto economy.

“As long as crypto-asset holdings remain associated with identifiable financial data, physical coercion will remain the economically most rational attack path,” it added.

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