Violent attacks on cryptocurrency holders have caused over $30 million in losses in 2026, with France leading in incidents.
In the first half of 2026, cryptocurrency holders have faced losses exceeding $30 million due to violent attacks, according to a report by Chainalysis. France has emerged as the country with the highest incidence of such attacks.
The previous year saw wrench attacks alone resulting in losses of $58 million. If this trend continues, 2026 is on track to set a new record for violence against cryptocurrency holders.
When including various forms of extortion, blocked transfers, and frozen funds, the overall figures are significantly higher:
- $316 million in 2024;
- $180 million in 2025;
- $107 million by mid-2026.
Chainalysis suggests that these figures may be underreported since they only capture known incidents. By the end of June 2026, there were 46 documented violent incidents related to cryptocurrency, an increase from 40 during the same period in 2025. However, the success rate of these attacks has declined to 26%, a drop from 49% the previous year and 67% in 2024.
Of the 46 incidents in 2026, only 12 resulted in thefts, compared to 47 out of 95 in 2025 and 32 out of 48 in 2024. Analysts attribute this decline in successful attacks to a shift towards more chaotic and indiscriminate methods, with home invasions constituting 37% and kidnappings 52% of cases.
While the United States, Brazil, and Thailand have reported high numbers of incidents, France stands out with a dramatic increase in attacks, from 19 incidents in 2025 to 30 by mid-2026. This surge has been linked to data leaks that compromised the personal information of wealthy cryptocurrency holders.
Moreover, attacks on the relatives and friends of cryptocurrency holders have become more common, accounting for about 25-30% of incidents early in 2026, a sharp rise from near-zero levels in 2021. In France, this figure exceeds 40%.
On-chain analysis reveals varied approaches among attackers, with some quickly transferring stolen funds to centralized exchanges, while others used decentralized platforms and laundering services. In more complex cases, links to broader criminal networks have been observed.
Additionally, the second quarter of 2026 saw a record 83 hacks of crypto protocols, resulting in damages totaling $755.3 million.
