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French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said France has recorded 77 cases of kidnapping, unlawful detention, extortion or attempted crimes tied to the crypto industry so far this year, up from 45 across all of 2025. Nuñez described the cases as serious and said industry concerns about physical-security threats are justified.
Why it matters
The roughly 70% year-on-year jump puts France among the hardest-hit jurisdictions for so-called "wrench attacks," where criminals target known crypto holders rather than compromising keys or exchanges. France has become a focal point because of a dense concentration of crypto founders, traders and high-net-worth holders, several of whom have been targeted in daylight in Paris and on the Côte d'Azur over the past 18 months. High-profile victims include the daughter and grandson of Paymium CEO Alexandre Stachtchenko, and Ledger co-founder David Balland, who was held for ransom and had a finger severed during an attempt earlier this year.
Market impact
Nuñez said emergency measures rolled out over the past year are starting to show results. Around 200 people have been arrested either in the aftermath of incidents or during preventive operations, and the Interior Ministry has put a new inter-service security plan in place for crypto-industry figures. The government's posture matters beyond France: other European capitals and U.S. agencies have been tracking the same pattern as on-chain wealth increasingly translates into physical risk.
Source: [Cryptomonnaies: Laurent Nuñez promet de renforcer la sécurité des acteurs du secteur — BFM Crypto](https://www.bfmtv.com/crypto/cryptomonnaies-laurent-nunez-promet-de-renforcer-la-securite-des-acteurs-du-secteur_AD-202606300994.html)
Frequently asked questions
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Why is France seeing so many crypto kidnapping cases?
France hosts a dense concentration of crypto founders, traders and high-net-worth holders, several of whom have been targeted in Paris and on the Côte d'Azur over the past 18 months, making it a focal point for physical attacks on known crypto figures.
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How many people have been arrested in these cases?
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said around 200 people have been arrested either after incidents or during preventive operations tied to crypto-linked kidnapping and extortion.
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Who are some of the high-profile victims in France?
Reported victims include the daughter and grandson of Paymium CEO Alexandre Stachtchenko, and Ledger co-founder David Balland, who was held for ransom earlier this year and had a finger severed during the attempt.
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What is France doing to address crypto-related physical threats?
Nuñez said the Interior Ministry has rolled out emergency security measures and a new inter-service plan for crypto-industry figures, and that the approach is starting to show results in the form of arrests and disrupted attempts.
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Are wrench attacks on crypto holders a problem outside France?
Yes. Other European capitals and U.S. agencies have been tracking the same rise in physical attacks targeting known crypto holders as on-chain wealth increasingly translates into real-world risk.
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