Home invasions were the most frequently reported form of crypto-related wrench attacks in the first half of 2026, increasing to 20 publicly reported cases from just one in the same period a year earlier, according to blockchain security firm CertiK. So-called wrench attacks — named for the concept that physical violence can bypass even the strongest digital cryptography — involve criminals using coercion, abduction or physical threats to force victims into surrendering cryptocurrency.

CertiK said on Thursday that it verified 52 wrench attacks worldwide during the first six months of 2026, a 33.3% increase from 39 incidents in the first half of 2025. Kidnappings also increased, rising to 16 cases from 12, while robberies fell to one reported incident from five.

The firm said recorded financial exposure connected to the attacks reached about $124.1 million, compared with $10.5 million a year earlier. CertiK said that figure is not limited to confirmed thefts and may include ransom demands, victim transfers, frozen or recovered assets and unsuccessful ransom demands.

The rise in home invasions indicates that criminals are increasingly attempting to bypass digital security measures by using physical coercion against crypto holders and their families. The trend reflects a long-recognized vulnerability in cryptocurrency self-custody: unlike traditional bank accounts protected by institutional safeguards and regulated access, self-custodied crypto wallets can be compromised if an attacker gains physical control of the holder.

Attack type year-on-year, H1 2025 vs. H1 2026. Source: CertiK

France remains a center of crypto wrench attacks

Europe accounted for 39 of the 52 verified incidents in the first half of 2026. France alone accounted for 33 cases, representing nearly two-thirds of the global total. CertiK said it applied a narrower methodology than French authorities, counting only publicly reported incidents that it could independently verify.

Share of wrench attacks by region. Source: CertiK

On July 2, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said authorities had recorded 77 crypto-linked kidnappings, extortion cases or attempted extortion cases during the first half of 2026. That compared with 45 such cases during the whole of 2025.

CertiK said the concentration of incidents in France may reflect the country's more visible crypto ecosystem, as well as data breaches and information linking identities and home addresses to perceived crypto wealth. Several high-profile cases in France in recent years have drawn public attention to the risks faced by crypto entrepreneurs and their families.

French authorities have responded by launching a dedicated prevention platform and a rapid-alert system for crypto holders and industry professionals. Nuñez said emergency measures had led to 200 arrests.

CertiK said the increase in physical coercion poses a challenge to conventional self-custody practices. The company recommended multisignature or multiparty computation arrangements, withdrawal delays, spending limits and geographically separated signers so that one threatened individual cannot immediately release all available assets.