“Wrench” attacks — the crypto industry’s term for in-person, strong-arm tactics — showed a 33 percent year-over-year increase in the first half of 2026, according to blockchain security audit company CertiK. Using publicly available information and other verified sources, the company found 52 wrench attacks worldwide through June, up from 39 during the same period in 2025. CertiK said that its survey probably undercounts such incidents, given that some victims might not report wrench attacks to authorities, and many aren’t publicly known until investigations are completed. Security firms and law enforcement have been sounding the alarm about wrench attacks over the last couple of years. Researcher Lukasz Olejnik noted in January that wrench attacks leverage when users keep their cryptocurrency in “self custody,” such as in an offline wallet stored at home.