Physical attacks targeting cryptocurrency holders have increased substantially in recent years, with a new interactive map documenting the scope of the problem across countries. Security researchers warn that continued price volatility could further elevate risks for crypto asset owners.
Jameson Lopp, co-founder and chief security officer of Casa, a bitcoin self-custody services firm, launched an interactive map on September 21 based on his database of publicly disclosed attacks on crypto owners since 2014. According to the data, France has recorded 68 crypto-related attacks in total, followed by the U.S. with 59 attacks and the U.K. with 24.
When measured by attacks per capita, Hong Kong has the highest rate at 1.72 attacks per million people. France ranks fourth overall but leads when measured by attacks per capita in the most recent period, with 1.02 attacks per million people.
A separate database maintained by Gart, a personal security services company for crypto asset holders, recorded 391 attacks in 59 countries in total, suggesting the publicly tracked figures undercount the actual problem.
Correlation With Bitcoin Price
Lopp's database shows that attacks in France almost tripled in the first nine months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, reaching 41 incidents. The French Interior Ministry counted 77 crypto-related attacks in the first half of 2026 alone.
Gart's analysis indicates that attacks correlate with bitcoin price movements with varying degrees of delay, suggesting that continued price rallies could trigger additional targeting of cryptocurrency holders. In the third quarter of 2026, bitcoin price increased approximately 45%.
Chainalysis found that through late June 2026, 26% of attacks had resulted in payments, compared with 67% in 2024. Analysts attributed the decline partly to a widened pool of potential victims following data leaks, which increased the number of attacks while reducing their individual success rate.
Data Leaks Drive Home Invasions
Home invasions and kidnappings have emerged as the two most popular attack types, accounting for 45% of total cases according to Gart. Chainalysis data shows that home invasions accounted for 37% of incidents in 2026, up from 14% in 2025.
The wave of attacks in France has been facilitated by data breaches, including a 2024 sale of crypto asset owner data by a local tax official and additional breaches disclosed in 2026. Even individuals merely believed to own cryptocurrency have been targeted, with one French couple mistakenly targeted three times after criminals identified their property as belonging to a crypto asset owner.
Governments Increase Data Exposure Risks
Crypto asset security firm Certik concluded that criminals now build target profiles using leaked databases, tax records, exchange customer data, public wallet activity, property records, and phone data. The firm stated that data minimization has become a physical safety necessity rather than a privacy luxury.
Global authorities are increasing data collection and sharing requirements through cryptocurrency reporting frameworks. At least 46 jurisdictions have committed to implementing the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework by 2027, with plans for additional jurisdictions to join in subsequent years. The U.S. is scheduled to join in 2029.
Data protection has proven challenging. DLA Piper reported that Europe's data protection supervisory bodies recorded 443 personal data breach notifications per day on average in 2025, a 22% increase from the previous year. According to IBM data, personal customer information is leaked in approximately 53% of all data breaches.
Protective Measures
While external factors such as government policies and exchange security practices remain beyond individual control, cryptocurrency holders can take steps to reduce vulnerability:
- Limit sharing of wallet addresses, portfolio details, home information, travel plans, and signs of wealth linked to cryptocurrency identity
- Maintain separate wallets with minimal amounts in everyday use and long-term holdings in secure vaults
- Store hardware wallets and seed phrases separately from each other and away from home
- Use multisig or multi-party computation setups for large holdings to prevent single-person fund movement under duress
- Implement withdrawal delays through time locks, spending limits, allowlists, and staged vaults
- Establish family emergency plans with code words, trusted contacts, check-in routines, and protocols for suspicious visitors
- Secure physical premises with cameras, intercom verification, alarms, and coordination with trusted neighbors
