Crypto-violence on the rise: $30 million in losses over six months and an alarming signal from France
Market analysis reveals a troubling trend: in the first half of 2026, criminals using physical violence stole more than $30 million from cryptocurrency holders. This refers to so-called "wrench attacks" — kidnappings, home invasions, and hostage-taking aimed at forcing the transfer of digital assets. Perpetrators have realized that cryptocurrency is an ideal target: transactions are irreversible and instantaneous.
The $30 million figure reflects only successful cases where the victim transferred funds. However, the real picture is far darker. When accounting for failed attempts, blocked transfers, and recovered assets, total losses reach $316 million for 2024, $180 million for 2025, and already $107 million for the incomplete 2026. This gap demonstrates that criminals are failing more often.
Attack success rates are falling, but their numbers are rising
The share of successful attacks has been steadily declining for the third consecutive year. By the end of June 2026, ransoms were obtained in only 26% of cases (12 out of 46 episodes). A year earlier, that figure stood at 49% (47 out of 95), and in 2024 — 67% (32 out of 48). The cause lies in events in France. A tax authority data leak sharply expanded the pool of potential victims, making attacks widespread and indiscriminate. Previously, criminals operated with precision, relying on gathered intelligence about a specific individual.
Methods have also changed. Kidnappings remain the most popular form, followed by home invasions and hostage-taking. The share of home break-ins rose from 14% in 2025 to 37% by mid-2026, while kidnappings increased from 39% to 52%.
France — the epicenter of crypto crime
The highest number of incidents since 2023 has been recorded in France, the United States, Brazil, and Thailand, but French cases stand apart. Until 2025, the country registered only isolated cases. Then the number grew to 19 per year, and by mid-2026 reached 30 publicly known episodes. The real scale is significantly larger: authorities have documented over 75 incidents linked to cryptocurrencies.
The surge is directly tied to the data leak. In 2024, a Paris tax office employee was suspected of stealing and selling files on wealthy cryptocurrency holders — including names, addresses, phone numbers, asset sizes, and tax histories. These materials were purchased by criminal intermediaries, and attacks "snowballed." Frequency rose from 1.9 incidents per month in 2025 to approximately 4.6 in the first half of 2026.
French investigators link the wave to organized crime, so cases were transferred to JUNALCO — a specialized prosecution office. By mid-2026, police had detained around 200 people, 88 of whom were charged, and 75 were placed in pretrial detention. In parallel, more than ten investigations are ongoing.
Pressure tactics have also changed. Whereas attackers previously targeted only the asset owner themselves, by early 2026 relatives and acquaintances were involved in approximately 25–30% of cases. In France, such episodes exceed 40%. Victims almost everywhere are locals rather than tourists: in Sweden, the share of locals reached 100%, in France — 93%, in Brazil — 82%, and in the United States — 77%.
Where the stolen money goes reveals how well criminals understand cryptocurrencies. Some immediately transfer assets to major exchanges without even attempting to hide the trail — such cases are solved fastest. Others move tokens through decentralized platforms, blockchain bridges, and MEV bots, all to avoid identity verification. Still others work with criminal networks: in one case, funds passed through a fast-exchange service and an over-the-counter laundering platform that had previously served drug cartels, terrorist financing, and Asian money-laundering schemes.
My comment: This statistics is a stark reminder that privacy in the crypto industry is not a luxury but a necessity. Data leaks from government agencies and trust in third-party services create direct physical threats to holders. I recommend that anyone holding significant assets reassess their security measures: use hardware wallets, avoid publicly disclosing their holdings, and be extremely cautious about sharing personal information.