Physical attacks targeting crypto holders, known as wrench attacks, rose sharply in 2025, resulting in at least $40.9 million in confirmed losses worldwide, according to blockchain security firm CertiK.
CertiK said it recorded 72 verified wrench attack cases last year, a roughly 75% increase from 2024, signalling that violence against crypto users is no longer a fringe risk.
“2025 marks a clear inflection point: physical violence is now a core threat vector in the crypto ecosystem,”
CertiK said, warning that under-reporting could mean actual losses are far higher.
France recorded the highest number of incidents with 19 cases, while Europe accounted for about 40% of global attacks, highlighting a regional concentration of the threat.
High-profile incidents included the kidnapping of David Balland, a co-founder of Ledger, and his wife, as well as the reported abduction and torture of an Italian crypto holder in New York.
“Every week, there is a Bitcoiner, at least one in the world, who gets kidnapped, tortured, extorted, and sometimes even worse,”
Said Alena Vranova of SatoshiLabs.