One Attack Every Two Days: France’s Crypto Kidnapping Crisis Is Getting Worse

TLDR

• France recorded 77 crypto-linked kidnapping and extortion cases in 2026, up from 45 in 2025
• Around 200 people have been arrested following attacks or preventive operations
• Data breaches at tax offices exposed crypto holders’ identities, fueling real-world crimes
• Victims include executives from Ledger, Binance France, The Sandbox, and Paymium
• France now accounts for roughly 70% of global “wrench attacks” targeting crypto holders

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France has recorded 77 cases of kidnapping, unlawful detention, extortion, or attempted crimes linked to the crypto sector in 2026. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez shared the figures during a June 30 address to the Association for the Development of Digital Assets.

The number has risen from 45 cases in 2025. By mid-April 2026, the total had already reached 41 — roughly one attack every two and a half days.

About 200 people have been arrested either after attacks or during preventive operations. In one recent case in the Somme region, suspects were arrested just eight hours after an incident.

France now accounts for roughly 70% of all global “wrench attacks” — the term used for physical assaults aimed at forcing victims to hand over crypto holdings.

Data Breaches Helped Fuel the Violence

Analysts have traced many of these crimes back to data leaks that exposed crypto holders’ personal details. Breaches at tax offices and crypto tax providers, including a reported leak at Waltio, gave criminals names, addresses, and estimated holdings.

Investigations found that many masterminds recruit teenagers through social media to carry out the physical crimes. By April 2026, police had charged 88 individuals across 12 separate investigations.

Ransom demands typically range from around 700,000 euros to over $1 million in Bitcoin. Victims have included executives from Ledger, Binance France, The Sandbox, and Paymium.

Ledger co-founder David Balland was kidnapped in January 2025 and released after kidnappers demanded a crypto ransom. French media reported the case involved severe violence.

In June 2025, prosecutors charged 25 people linked to kidnapping plots targeting crypto figures and their families. Suspects were aged between 16 and 23.

France Plans Stronger Response

Nuñez outlined a plan focused on three areas: stronger intelligence sharing, a closer partnership with industry group Adan, and better cross-border coordination.

He said some alleged organizers operate outside France, making international cooperation essential. Moroccan authorities arrested a key suspect in Tangier in June 2025, and Nuñez said the attacks stopped suddenly after that arrest.

Some 724 sector actors have registered on immediate identification platforms, an 11% rise. French crypto firms are also reportedly directing more resources toward physical security for executives.

Crypto transactions are irreversible and can be completed in minutes, which makes crypto wealth uniquely exposed to physical theft compared to traditional bank transfers.

Nuñez said the new plan would be “more ambitious” than earlier steps. French officials are now treating the issue as both an organized crime matter and a sector security concern.

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