For the entire year of 2025, losses from such crimes amounted to $58 million, and at current rates, 2026 risks surpassing the previous year.
However, despite the increase in damage, the share of recorded successful attacks is decreasing. From January to June, criminals succeeded in only 12 out of 46 incidents, amounting to 26%. A year earlier, this figure reached 49%, and in 2024, it was 67%. Chainalysis attributes this trend to evolving criminal methods and an increasing variety of attack scenarios.
The most common form of violence has been kidnappings, followed by home invasions, hostage-taking, and other crimes related to extortion. Attacks on the residences of crypto investors are growing particularly rapidly: their share was 14% last year and rose to 37% by mid-year.
The geography of such crimes is also changing. Since 2023, the highest number of incidents has been recorded in France, the United States, Brazil, and Thailand, but France is now standing out from the rest. A few years ago, incidents in France were rare; however, experts report that by 2025, the number had reached 19, and by mid-2026, open sources had documented 30 attacks.
One of the reasons Chainalysis analysts cited for the sharp rise in crime is the 2024 data breach, which is believed to have provided attackers with a database containing information about cryptocurrency investors and entrepreneurs who own digital assets. Previously, attackers primarily targeted the asset owners themselves, but now relatives and close associates are increasingly at risk. Most victims are local residents, not foreigners.
Chainalysis experts categorize attackers into three groups: individuals with little to no knowledge of cryptocurrencies, criminals with basic understanding of digital assets, and organized groups possessing technical expertise. Public disclosures by coin holders or linking blockchain addresses to specific individuals can increase the risk of attack. In this context, privacy and personal data protection have become especially critical, conclude the authors of the Chainalysis study.
Previously, Unfolded platform analysts reported that April through June became the record quarter for the number of cryptocurrency project hacks in recorded history. Over the three months, experts recorded 83 attacks, resulting in attackers stealing assets worth over $755 million.