CertiK sees 130 crypto ‘wrench’ attacks in 2026; France surge

Blockchain security firm CertiK projects 130 “wrench” attacks in 2026 after verifying 34 incidents between January and April. The firm estimated losses of about $101 million tied to ransom payments, frozen funds and failed demands.

CertiK reported a 41% year-over-year increase in wrench attacks in the opening four months of 2026. The monthly breakdown lists 13 incidents in January (compared with 9 in January 2025), 5 in February (6 in 2025), 10 in March (7 in 2025) and 5 in April (2 in 2025). The report attributed the February dip to the delayed effect of large-scale European police operations in late January and noted a rebound in March.

Europe accounted for 28 of the 34 attacks in the period. France logged 24 cases in the first four months of 2026, exceeding the 20 incidents recorded in all of 2025. Officials at the French Interior Ministry confirmed 41 incidents linked to physical attacks since January, roughly one every 2.5 days. North America fell to 3 incidents from 9, and Asia dropped to 2 from 25.

Wrench attacks involve physical coercion or threats against individuals to force cryptocurrency transfers or to obtain private keys. The report described attackers shifting tactics to the human layer as technical security for wallets and protocols improves. It noted that when crypto holdings are linked to identifiable financial data, physical coercion becomes a more attractive route for criminals.

CertiK attributed the surge in France to the presence of major industry firms, recent data breaches that exposed wealthy holders and a tendency for public disclosure of financial status that can make targets easier to identify. The report also noted that law enforcement actions can temporarily reduce incidents but do not remove incentives for physical extortion where holdings are tied to banking or custodial information.

The report recommends stronger protection of identity and financial data tied to crypto holdings and increased personal security measures for high-net-worth digital-asset holders.