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FollowingReport: In the first half of 2026, the cryptocurrency wrench attack lost US$124.1 million, with France suffering the most.
According to the "Wrench Attack Report for the First Half of 2026" released by CertiK, the cryptocurrency wrench attack has become an increasingly serious security challenge for the digital asset industry in the first half of 2026. Such attacks, involving physical threats or violent means to force victims to surrender cryptocurrency assets, increased significantly during this period.
The number of incidents and financial impact have risen sharply
CertiK recorded a total of 52 verified wrench attacks in the first six months of 2026, a significant increase from 39 in the same period in 2025. Related financial losses surged from about $10.5 million last year to $124.1 million this year. It is worth noting that the number of burglary cases has jumped from 1 in the first half of 2025 to 20 in the same period in 2026.
These data only reflect publicly verified incidents and known losses, including reported ransom demands and missing funds, rather than confirmed proceeds of crime. CertiK emphasized that underreporting continues to affect statistics and may make it difficult to clarify the actual scale of such attacks. CertiK said that due to underreporting and incomplete actual loss data, the public incident numbers likely underestimated the true scale of global wrench attacks.
Europe and France have become the hardest hit areas
In terms of geographical distribution, targeted attacks in Europe have increased significantly. Of the 52 cases reported globally, 39 occurred in Europe, of which France accounted for 33. This makes France the country with the largest number of wrench attacks confirmed in CertiK's latest data set.
The report attributed this trend to a combination of factors, including Western Europe's large cryptocurrency community, the widespread spread of information that could help attackers identify targets, and the high transparency in reporting such incidents. CertiK does not attribute growth to a single driver, but points to the increasing concentration of personal security risks faced by cryptocurrency holders in Western Europe.
Security upgrades: Beyond wallet protection
While software-based wallet security remains critical, CertiK emphasizes that technical solutions alone may not be enough to prevent attacks involving physical coercion. The company recommends implementing custody measures designed to limit the ability of individuals to transfer large amounts of money under duress. These methods include multi-party transaction approvals, withdrawal delays, transaction amount limits, and hierarchical custody controls, all of which can slow unauthorized capital outflows and buy time for incident response.
This shift in the threat landscape has broadened the discussion about the protection of digital assets to now cover not only the security of cryptocurrency wallets, but also the personal safety of individuals who manage and control these assets. CertiK's findings suggest that as coercive attacks increase, the industry's focus will increasingly shift to protecting digital assets and those behind them, calling on stakeholders to reassess personal security and operating processes.
CertiK's report emphasizes that responding to the growing threat of wrench attacks requires a multi-layered approach that includes both technical security protection and enhanced personal security awareness.
