Physical coercion targeting cryptocurrency holders has seen a significant uptick in 2026, as criminals increasingly turn to in-person threats rather than traditional online hacking methods. So-called wrench attacks against crypto holders rose 33 percent year-over-year in the first half of 2026, according to new research from blockchain security audit company CertiK.
The company documented 52 wrench attacks worldwide through June 2026, compared to 39 incidents during the same period in 2025. CertiK defines these incidents as physical coercion where adversaries use violence, intimidation or credible threats to force victims to transfer digital assets, surrender private keys, unlock wallets, reveal credentials, or pressure third parties into compliance.
What Types of Crimes Are Classified as Wrench Attacks?
The criminal activity encompasses traditional violent crimes including home invasions, kidnappings and in rare instances, murder. CertiK acknowledged that its survey likely undercounts the actual number of incidents, since some victims may not report wrench attacks to authorities and many cases remain unknown publicly until investigations conclude.
The tactics extend beyond typical social engineering associated with digital wallet breaches. Attackers don’t necessarily need direct access to primary targets if they can threaten family members or associates. According to the report, proxy victims often have weaker operational security, more predictable routines, and less training than the primary target. Attackers have targeted spouses, parents, children, employees, drivers, assistants, and close friends to gain access to cryptocurrency holdings.
How Much Money Is at Stake?
Financial losses from these attacks have increased dramatically. Reported losses reached $124 million so far in 2026, compared with $10.5 million reported in the first half of 2025. However, CertiK cautioned that these figures should be viewed as indicators of the overall financial scale rather than measures of actual criminal profits, as they include both funds coerced from victims and situations where assets may have been frozen.
Examples of recent incidents include the kidnapping of a French mother and child in April, a 2025 home invasion in Minnesota, and a 2024 Connecticut case involving a carjacked Lamborghini.
Why Are Self-Custody Wallets Vulnerable?
Security experts have been raising concerns about wrench attacks over recent years. Blockchain analysis firm TRM Labs reported on the phenomenon in March 2025, and British trade association CryptoUK hosted a webinar with law enforcement in December 2025. Researcher Lukasz Olejnik noted in January that wrench attacks exploit vulnerabilities when users maintain cryptocurrency in self-custody, such as offline wallets stored at home. Without intermediaries like banks to halt, slow or reverse transactions, users operating under self-custody are entirely on their own when facing physical threats.
Source: The Record