CertiK reports 52 wrench attacks in H1 2026, losses hit $124 million

CertiK said it verified 52 physical attacks targeting cryptocurrency holders worldwide in the first half of 2026, up 33.3% from 39 cases a year earlier. The security firm estimated $124.1 million in recorded exposure across those incidents, compared with $10.5 million in H1 2025, while cautioning that the total includes ransom demands, payments and assets later frozen or recovered rather than confirmed theft alone. Europe accounted for 75% of cases, including 33 in France, and reported crypto-related home invasions rose to 20 from one a year earlier, overtaking kidnappings as the main attack method. CertiK said attackers are increasingly using leaked personal data, exchange records and on-chain activity to assemble target lists and pressure victims at home, making data minimization and wallet structures such as multi-signature setups, withdrawal delays and family duress protocols part of physical-security planning. The report adds to a broader escalation after 72 attacks were recorded in all of 2025, with France at the center of several high-profile kidnapping and attempted abduction cases that have prompted a wider law-enforcement response.