Attacks on cryptocurrency holders are becoming increasingly violent: losses have grown more than 11 times

Physical attacks on cryptocurrency holders are no longer rare incidents and are becoming one of the most dangerous trends in the crypto industry. A new report by CertiK shows that criminals are increasingly moving from hacks and phishing attacks to direct violence, kidnappings, and home invasions targeting investors in order to gain access to crypto wallets and private keys.

According to the research, 52 such incidents were confirmed worldwide during the first half of 2026. This is 33.3% more than during the same period last year, when 39 cases were recorded.

The most dramatic increase was observed in the first quarter: during the first three months of the year alone, there were 35 attacks compared with 22 a year earlier.

A quarterly analysis provides a clearer understanding of the trend. The first quarter of 2026 became a period of a sharp surge: 35 confirmed incidents were recorded compared with 22 during the same period in 2025.

In the second quarter of 2026, 17 confirmed cases were registered – the same number as in the second quarter of 2025.

However, what is far more alarming is not the number of crimes, but their scale. The total financial losses and the amount of funds demanded by criminals increased from $10.5 million in the first half of 2025 to $124.1 million during the same period in 2026.

The increase amounted to nearly 1,080%, or more than 11 times.

The average loss per incident also increased almost ninefold – from approximately $270,000 to $2.39 million.

CertiK experts emphasize that these figures do not reflect the true scale of the problem. Many victims choose not to contact law enforcement or disclose details of what happened, fearing repeated attacks, public attention, tax consequences, or reputational damage.

Statistics also do not always include cases where criminals failed to obtain payment, part of the funds were frozen by law enforcement agencies, or money was returned to owners.

Therefore, the published data represents only the “visible part of the iceberg.”

The geography of such crimes has changed significantly. While attacks were relatively evenly distributed around the world a year ago, Europe has now become the main risk center for digital asset holders.

Of the 52 confirmed cases, 39 occurred specifically in European countries.

France became the absolute leader, with 33 attacks recorded.

Thus, three-quarters of all known incidents worldwide occurred in Europe, confirming the trend that analysts warned about last year.

The evolution of criminal methods is equally alarming. Previously, criminals more often relied on threats or extortion, but now they are increasingly turning to direct violence.

The number of armed home invasions targeting crypto investors is growing especially quickly.

During the first half of 2025, only one such case was known, whereas in the first half of 2026 the number had already reached twenty.

The number of kidnappings also increased – from 12 to 16 incidents.

In four cases, criminals used torture, and in one attack the victim was killed.

Such crimes have become known as wrench attacks – literally “attacks using a wrench.” The term emerged as a contrast to sophisticated cyberattacks.

Instead of searching for software vulnerabilities or attempting to break cryptographic protection, criminals simply force a person to voluntarily transfer digital assets under the threat of violence.

A victim may be beaten, kidnapped, held hostage, or threatened through family members until they unlock a crypto wallet, reveal a seed phrase, or sign a transaction.

One of the main reasons behind the growth of such crimes is the availability of personal information.

Criminals actively use data leaks, social media posts, interviews, photographs of expensive cars, stories about cryptocurrency investments, and information from public sources.

Using these fragments of information, they create a detailed profile of a potential victim: determining wealth level, residence location, daily routes, family members, and even home security systems.

According to CertiK specialists, criminals today often no longer need deep technical knowledge of blockchain technology.

It is much easier to identify a wealthy cryptocurrency holder and apply physical pressure than to attempt breaking modern hardware wallets or cryptographic algorithms.

Total number of incidents by region: first half of 2025 compared with the first half of 2026.

Experts also point out that the real losses suffered by victims are significantly higher than the value of stolen digital assets.

After such attacks, people are forced to change their place of residence, strengthen home security, purchase additional protection systems, and pay for medical treatment and psychological assistance.

For owners of major cryptocurrency companies, the consequences are even more serious: many stop making public appearances, stop revealing information about their investments, change asset storage procedures, and limit travel.

If the trend continues, 2026 could become the most dangerous year in cryptocurrency history in terms of investors’ physical security.

Even if the number of attacks does not grow at the same pace in the second half of the year, the total financial damage has already significantly exceeded last year’s figures.

Analysts warn that as the value of digital assets increases, the physical security of cryptocurrency holders becomes no less important than protecting their wallets from hackers.