According to crypto security firm CertiK, victims lost approximately $101 million from crypto wrench attacks—physical assaults and extortion attempts—during the first four months of 2026. CertiK verified 34 incidents globally in this period, representing a 41% increase compared to the same timeframe in 2025. If the trend continues, the firm estimates losses could reach several hundred million dollars for the full year.
Europe has been disproportionately affected, accounting for 28 of the 34 verified attacks, or 82%. France remains the hardest-hit country with 24 recorded assaults so far in 2026. CertiK notes that attackers are increasingly targeting family members of primary victims, with over half the incidents involving spouses, children, or elderly parents either as direct targets or leverage.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
Australian Police Seize 52.3 Bitcoin Worth $4.1M in Dark Web Investigation, Arrest 2 Suspects
According to ChainCatcher, Australian New South Wales police seized 52.3 Bitcoin (approximately $4.1 million) and arrested 2 suspects in connection with illegal dark web market operations in Ingleburn, Sydney, following a 15-month investigation. The cryptocurrency is suspected to be proceeds from
GateNews8h ago
Fed Confirms $25B Tokenization Surge, Flags DeFi Risks
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook delivered a landmark speech on May 8, 2026, at the Central Bank of West African States Conference in Dakar, Senegal, addressing the rapid growth of tokenized assets in the United States. Cook confirmed that tokenized assets in the U.S. have more than doubled in mar
CryptoFrontier10h ago
Revolut Users See Bitcoin Flash Crash to $0.02 on Friday, Down From $79K Global Price
According to CoinDesk, some Revolut users saw Bitcoin's price plummet to as low as $0.02 on Friday, May 8, far below the global market level where BTC traded near $79,000. The price displayed a sharp dip on the app's chart before quickly recovering to normal levels. Major exchanges tracked by
GateNews10h ago
Institutional Investors Shun Perp DEX at Consensus Miami, Citing Security Risks and KYC Barriers
According to CoinDesk, at Consensus Miami, institutional investors remain largely wary of decentralized perpetual futures exchanges (Perp DEX) due to security risks and KYC compliance obstacles. Trader Wizard of SoHo highlighted that Drift protocol's recent hack involving millions of dollars
GateNews14h ago
LayerZero's Default Library Contract Poses $3B Risk; Multisig Signers Participated in Meme Token Trades
According to PANews, LayerZero Labs' default library contract upgrade mechanism poses risks to over $3 billion in LZ OFT on May 8, with $178 million currently exposed to projects still using the default configuration. Security researcher Banteg flagged that the contract lacks time restrictions,
GateNews14h ago
Arbitrum DAO Approves $70 Million ETH Release for Kelp DAO Recovery
According to Arbitrum DAO's voting snapshot, the Arbitrum DAO approved the release of 30,765.6 ETH (approximately $70 million) to DeFi United, an initiative established to mitigate the impact of the $292 million exploit on Kelp DAO last month. The proposal received 182.2 million votes in support, ac
GateNews17h ago
