Criminals stole more than $30 million through physical attacks on crypto holders in the first half of this year, putting the year on pace to surpass the record $58 million stolen in 2025.

In a Chainalysis report released Thursday, the blockchain analytics firm said that 46 violent crypto-related incidents had been documented globally through late June, up from 40 during the same period in 2025. The incidents include kidnappings, home invasions and hostage situations, collectively known as “wrench attacks.” 

The findings suggest wrench attacks are increasing, expanding the risks facing crypto holders beyond custody and asset management to their physical safety, homes and families.

According to the report, only 12 of the 46 attempts resulted in payment, giving attackers a 26% success rate, down from 49% in 2025. However, the report acknowledged that known cases likely understate the scale of the problem, as many attacks go unreported. 

Chainalysis said the “tradecraft tends to be amateur at the point of violence, but professional at both ends,” with victims often selected through data leaks, social media or insider information before low-skilled crews carry out the attacks.

Success rate of crypto wrench attacks by year. Source: Chainalysis

France remains wrench attack hotspot

According to Chainalysis, France recorded 30 publicly known incidents by midyear, compared with 19 throughout 2025. The report noted that French authorities have counted more than 70 incidents, indicating the actual total may be substantially higher.

Related: Spain arrests suspect in 2025 kidnapping of Ledger co-founder

In July, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez put the first-half count at 77 kidnappings, extortions or attempted extortions, up from 45 in all of 2025. In response, the government has introduced a rapid-alert and protection system and promised greater intelligence-sharing and coordination with the crypto industry.

Chainalysis said in the Thursday report that the alleged misuse of French tax records was the likeliest driver of the surge. A French tax official allegedly accessed and sold information about crypto investors to criminals, while a separate breach at crypto tax-reporting company Waltio reportedly exposed data belonging to about 50,000 users.

Onchain activity also showed varying levels of sophistication. Some attackers sent stolen funds directly to centralized exchanges, while others used bridges, decentralized exchanges and laundering services. Chainalysis said the most advanced cases showed links to broader criminal networks.

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Bitcoin miners’ pivot into artificial intelligence and high-performance computing (HPC) is reshaping their business models, but investors are no longer rewarding new infrastructure deals with the same enthusiasm they once did, suggesting the market has become more discerning as AI hosting strategies move into the mainstream.

According to new analysis by Blocksbridge Consulting published in TheEnergyMag’s Miner Weekly, the market reaction to AI infrastructure announcements has weakened significantly over the past two years. Reviewing 25 AI and HPC infrastructure deals announced between June 2024 and August 2026, the report found that the average announcement-day stock move fell from roughly 24% for the earliest deals to about 10% for the most recent ones. Median gains also dropped by roughly half over the same period, even as the size and value of the contracts increased.

The report found that annualized revenue per contracted megawatt has edged higher over time, indicating that AI hosting agreements are becoming more lucrative. However, as such deals become increasingly common, investors appear to be placing greater emphasis on execution, financing and long-term profitability than on headline contract values alone.

AI infrastructure deals are becoming more valuable, but less market-moving. Source: TheEnergyMag

That shift is evident in how the market has responded to major announcements. Core Scientific’s initial hosting agreement with CoreWeave sent its shares up more than 40%, while Applied Digital’s first CoreWeave lease gained nearly 49% and TeraWulf’s first Fluidstack deal surged almost 60%.

More recent mega-deals have drawn a much more muted response. TeraWulf’s 401-megawatt lease with Anthropic lifted its shares by about 5%, CleanSpark’s $6.6 billion AI hosting agreement gained nearly 9%, and Bitdeer’s new Tydal contract briefly pushed the stock up roughly 12% before those gains disappeared by the market close.

Related: Crypto Biz: Is the AI-to-crypto rotation underway?

Bitcoin mining stocks reflect cooling AI enthusiasm

The performance of Bitcoin mining stocks that have embraced AI and high-performance computing workloads also reflects the market’s cooling enthusiasm. 

TheEnergyMag’s TEM AI Infrastructure Growth Index, which tracks publicly traded companies developing AI data center and digital infrastructure businesses, is down roughly 28.5% from its June peak, suggesting investors have become more cautious even as AI infrastructure demand remains strong.

While the TEM AI Infrastructure Growth Index remains sharply higher over the past year, its momentum has slowed in recent months. Source: TheEnergyMag

The slowdown mirrors a broader pullback in AI infrastructure stocks, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index falling nearly 17% from its July peak.

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Bitcoin fell below $65,000 on Thursday after stronger-than-expected U.S. jobless claims data reinforced concerns that the Federal Reserve could keep interest rates elevated.

Bitcoin price rejected near $65,000

According to data from crypto.news, Bitcoin (BTC) price traded at $64,384.27 at press time, marking a 0.69% decline over the previous 24 hours. The pullback followed another unsuccessful attempt to break through the $64,800–$65,000 resistance zone.

BTC had recovered from approximately $62,400 earlier in the week and briefly tested the upper end of its recent range. However, buyers failed to secure a daily close above $65,000, allowing sellers to regain control near the psychological level.

The rejection pushed Bitcoin toward $64,000, which has emerged as its nearest short-term support. Holding that level would keep the latest recovery structure intact, while a sustained break below it could expose the lower part of the range.

Bitcoin has remained sensitive to U.S. economic releases because stronger data can reduce expectations for monetary easing. Higher interest rates generally make yield-bearing assets more attractive relative to risk assets such as cryptocurrencies.

US jobless claims beat expectations

The latest labor data showed that seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims reached 199,000 during the week ending Aug. 1, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Claims increased by 1,000 from the previous week’s revised reading of 198,000 but remained below the 204,000 expected by economists. The lower-than-forecast figure pointed to continued resilience in the U.S. labor market.

The four-week moving average fell to 198,750, down 4,500 from the revised average of 203,250 recorded a week earlier. This measure helps smooth weekly volatility and provides a clearer view of the underlying trend.

Continuing claims rose by 24,000 to 1.801 million for the week ending July 25. Meanwhile, the insured unemployment rate remained unchanged at 1.2%.

Taken together, the figures showed that layoffs remained limited, although the increase in continuing claims suggested that some unemployed workers were taking longer to find new positions.

Fed expectations weigh on Bitcoin

A resilient labor market could give the Federal Reserve more room to maintain restrictive monetary policy or consider further rate increases if inflation remains elevated.

That possibility matters for U.S. crypto investors because expectations for higher rates can lift Treasury yields and strengthen the dollar. Both developments can reduce demand for non-yielding and higher-risk assets, including Bitcoin.

However, weekly unemployment claims represent only one part of the Fed’s policy outlook. Officials will also consider inflation, payroll growth, wages and consumer spending before making their next decision.

Bitcoin’s decline following the claims release therefore reflects shifting rate expectations rather than a confirmed change in Federal Reserve policy. Upcoming economic data could quickly alter the market’s interpretation.

Bitcoin must reclaim $65,000

Bitcoin now needs to close above the $64,800–$65,000 area to confirm renewed upward momentum. A successful breakout could allow buyers to extend the recovery that began near $62,400.

Until then, the repeated rejection leaves BTC trading within a defined range. The $64,000 level provides immediate support, followed by the recent swing low near $62,400 if selling pressure increases.

Traders will watch upcoming U.S. inflation and employment releases for further clues about the Fed’s path. A softer set of economic figures could revive expectations for lower rates, while continued labor market strength may keep Bitcoin’s recovery capped below $65,000.

Two groups affiliated with the cryptocurrency company-backed political action committee (PAC) Fairshake disclosed spending more than $1.5 million on media to support House of Representatives and Senate candidates in Florida, Alaska and Wyoming after suffering a primary loss in Michigan on Tuesday. 

According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings as of Thursday, Fairshake PAC affiliates Defend American Jobs and Protect Progress spent a combined $1.5 million on ads for Republican and Democratic candidates, many of whom voted in favor of the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act while serving in Congress. 

In Alaska’s at-large congressional district, scheduled to hold a primary on Aug. 18, Defend American Jobs spent more than $500,000 on media supporting the re-election of Representative Nick Begich. The Super PAC spent about the same amount on Republican candidate Sydney Gruters in Florida’s 16th district, and Representative Harriet Hageman, running for the soon-to-be-vacant Wyoming Senate seat now occupied by Cynthia Lummis. Both US states will also hold primaries on Aug. 18.

The reported expenditures follow a primary loss for a Protect Progress-supported candidate in Michigan’s 13th Congressional District. On Tuesday, Democratic incumbent Shri Thanedar lost a primary to State Representative Donavan McKinney after the Super PAC poured more than $2 million into media supporting the former. The final day of Thanedar’s current term in Congress will be in January 2027.

Related: US Senate will vote on CLARITY crypto bill ‘without any question’ this week: Tim Scott

On the Democratic side, Protect Progress reported spending more than $50,000 for the re-election of Lois Frankel in Florida’s 23rd district. Frankel, Begich and Hageman all voted in favor of the GENIUS Act and CLARITY Act while serving in Congress, while Gruters did not appear to have made any public statements on crypto or blockchain, with the exception of saying she supported the crypto market structure bill in a questionnaire conducted by the advocacy organization Stand With Crypto.

The expenditures were the latest examples of Fairshake and cryptocurrency industry-aligned groups attempting to influence US elections through media. The Super PAC reported spending more than $170 million in the 2024 US election cycle on House and Senate races, potentially changing the makeup of the current Congress.

CLARITY votes to influence 2026 midterms?

While it was still uncertain as of Thursday whether the US Senate would hold a vote on the CLARITY Act before the chamber broke for a month-long recess, how lawmakers cast their ballots could affect whether the crypto industry actively supports or opposes their re-election bids. All 435 House seats are up for grabs in 2026, as are 33 seats in the US Senate.

In January, Stand With Crypto said that its “primary goal” in 2026 was getting crypto market structure legislation through Congress. The organization’s community director, Mason Lynaugh, told Cointelegraph in November that how lawmakers vote on the bill could impact their re-election chances. Stand With Crypto rates political candidates on a scale of “strongly supports crypto” to “strongly against crypto” depending on their voting records and public statements, which may be used by PACs and organizations deciding where to allocate funds.

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