France recorded 77 kidnapping and extortion attempts tied to crypto assets in the first half of 2026, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. The figure has intensified attention on the physical risks facing crypto holders and industry executives, pushing the government to adopt a tougher security posture.
Speaking to the Digital Asset Development Association, or ADAN, Nuñez said the incidents were “extremely serious” and that concerns raised by industry representatives were “entirely legitimate.” The government’s updated response rests on three tracks: broader intelligence sharing, especially where criminal networks operate from outside France; closer work with ADAN; and tighter operational coordination across security agencies. ADAN is one of the country’s main industry groups for digital asset companies and professionals.
New warning tools target investors and industry professionals
France has emerged as one of the countries seeing a rise in physical attacks against crypto asset owners. ADAN says about 11% of the French population holds crypto assets, equal to roughly 7.3 million people. That scale has made personal security a larger issue for both retail holders and professionals in the sector.
Authorities said they launched a dedicated prevention platform this year, together with a rapid warning and protection system for crypto investors and professionals. Nuñez said 724 people have registered so far. On the enforcement side, 200 individuals have been detained or arrested. In one recent Friday case, a suspect was caught within eight hours, helped by the victim’s use of an emergency identity hotline.
CertiK says Europe accounts for most physical coercion cases
These incidents are often described as “wrench attacks,” where attackers use threats or direct violence rather than technical exploits to force access to wallets or crypto holdings. In a report published in May, blockchain security firm CertiK said global crypto attacks based on physical extortion rose 41% in the first four months of 2026 from the same period a year earlier. Most of those cases, the firm said, were recorded in Europe.
CertiK added that France ranks among the world’s most targeted countries for this type of crime. The company linked the trend to several factors: a dense concentration of major crypto firms and executives, high public visibility inside the local crypto community, and the lasting effects of earlier data breaches.
Ledger case kept physical security risks in focus
One of the highest-profile cases involved David Balland, co-founder of French hardware wallet maker Ledger, who was kidnapped with his partner in January 2025 and held for ransom. The police rescue operation drew broad attention and brought the sector’s physical security problem back into view.
Ledger had already suffered a major cyberattack in 2020, when its customer database was breached and data from more than 270,000 people was exposed. That leak was followed by a sustained rise in phishing attempts and physical attacks aimed at members of the crypto community. France’s latest count of 77 cases shows that the threat now extends well beyond online intrusion.