A surge in crypto-related kidnappings has put France at the forefront of a global rise in wrench attacks, with the country experiencing an alarming rate of one incident every two to three days. The French government has taken notice, with officials acknowledging the scale of the problem and announcing new measures to tackle the issue.
The increase in wrench attacks, which involve the use of physical force to extract access to digital assets, has raised concerns about the risks of self-custody and the need for improved security measures. According to security researchers and law enforcement data, the trend is on the rise globally, with 72 verified physical coercion incidents reported in 2025, a 75% increase from the previous year. The use of physical force to extract access to digital assets has become a lucrative business for attackers, with many targeting mid-level holders and using tactics such as building profiles and tracking routines to identify points of weakness. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that crypto transactions cannot be reversed, making it difficult for authorities to recover stolen funds.
Researchers say that the way attackers identify victims has also changed, with a shift from scanning for technical vulnerabilities to building profiles and tracking social media activity. The biggest avoidable mistake is tying real-world identity, location, and routine too tightly to visible crypto wealth, making it easier for attackers to identify potential targets.
The pool of potential victims has widened, with families and children being targeted alongside crypto-holding parents, making the attacks harder to categorize by severity. In some cases, attackers have used insider information and compromised state data to carry out their attacks.
The increase in wrench attacks has raised questions about the risks of self-custody and the need for improved security measures, such as multi-signature setups, withdrawal delays, and spending limits. As crypto adoption grows, attacks are becoming more frequent and severe, turning what was once a niche concern into a broader security risk.