Svmuu reports that a report from CertiK shows that in the first four months of 2026, 34 "wrench attacks" (offline violence or coercion to obtain crypto assets) have occurred globally, a 41% increase year-over-year, with cumulative losses of approximately $101 million.
The report indicates that attack patterns are shifting towards being "data-driven," involving prior collection of victim information and incorporating "proxy targets," such as family members, into the threat scope to apply pressure.
Regionally, Europe accounts for 82% of incidents, with France being the most concentrated. Industry insiders believe that such attacks have become a significant security risk for crypto asset holders.