Inside the rise of wrench attacks against crypto holders and how France has become the focus

A CoinDesk report details a sharp rise in “wrench attacks” — kidnappings and violent home invasions to coerce crypto holders into transferring assets — with France recording at least 41 incidents this year (about one every 2–3 days). Security researchers and law enforcement warn the attacks are growing globally, more organized and violent, and amplified by leaked data and public profiles. The trend raises material security and adoption risks for self-custody, potentially pushing users toward custodial services, multi-signature setups, withdrawal limits and other mitigants. Faster on-chain laundering into stablecoins and cross-chain routing also reduces recovery prospects, creating reputational and operational risks for the crypto market and possibly influencing investor behavior and regulatory responses.