Chainalysis says successful crypto extortions plummeted to 26% as attackers get sloppier

Crypto criminals are swinging more often but connecting less. According to a Chainalysis report released on August 6, only 12 out of 46 violent theft attempts against crypto holders succeeded through late June 2026, putting the success rate at just 26%. That’s a dramatic slide from 67% in 2024 and 49% in 2025. More attacks, less competence France has become ground zero for this trend. The country recorded 30 documented violent attack incidents in the first half of 2026 alone. For context, all of 2025 produced just 19 such cases across France. Despite the lower hit rate, the financial damage remains substantial. Attackers successfully stole over $30 million in H1 2026. If that pace holds, the full-year figure would surpass 2025’s record haul of $58 million. Chainalysis pegged the total value of attempted or partially mitigated crypto thefts in 2026 at roughly $107 million. That number includes blocked transfers and recovered funds. Why France, and why now The French spike has a specific catalyst. Chainalysis attributes the surge to the aftermath of a 2024 breach of tax agency records that exposed the identities and holdings of crypto investors across the country. That opportunism sh...