Chainalysis reports over $30 million in crypto-related violent robberies in 2026, with France as the epicenter.

According to The Block, data from blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis shows that violent robberies targeting cryptocurrency holders in the first half of 2026 have resulted in losses exceeding $30 million. If the trend continues through the second half of the year, the annual total could surpass the historical peak of $58 million recorded in 2025. France has become the world’s largest hotspot for “wrench attacks,” with 30 publicly reported cases in the first half of 2026; however, France’s Minister of the Interior stated that the actual number exceeds 70 cases. Chainalysis attributes this surge to a 2024 data breach by France’s tax authorities, in which a tax official allegedly stole and sold the names, addresses, holdings, and tax records of high-net-worth cryptocurrency holders. This led to a sharp increase in attack frequency—from an average of 1.9 incidents per month in 2025 to 4.6 per month in the first half of 2026. The methods have also grown more severe: cases targeting family members rather than the holders themselves now account for over 40% of incidents in France, while home invasions have risen from 14% in 2025 to 37%. Stolen funds are typically quickly deposited on-chain, often laundered through decentralized exchanges and cross-chain bridges; advanced criminal networks are even linked to cartel money laundering and terrorist financing channels.