There has been a big rise in violent crimes against those who own cryptocurrencies in France. A secret police investigation says that more than 40 organised kidnappings were linked to crypto motivations between July 2023 and December 2025. People often term these attacks “wrench attacks.” They use physical force, threats, or kidnapping to make people give up their digital possessions.
French media outlet Franceinfo obtained a copy of a study from France’s Judicial Police Organised Crime section (SIRASCO) that says more than half of these cases targeted people who possess cryptocurrency or work in the cryptocurrency industry.
Young people, usually aged 16 to 23, are often hired locally through social media and messaging apps like Telegram. The masterminds, on the other hand, work from other countries.
Blockchain security company CertiK documented that there were 72 confirmed ransomware attacks worldwide in 2025, a 75% increase from the year before. These led to documented losses exceeding $40.9 million.
Kidnappings were the most common strategy, up 66%, and physical assaults were up 250%. More than 40% of all instances occurred in Europe, with France leading at 19, far more than in the United States.
One well-known case is the kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland and his wife in January 2025. The kidnappers cut off a finger and asked for €10 million in crypto before the authorities got involved. In other situations, family members of crypto CEOs were attacked by mistake, such as a 74-year-old man who was tortured in early 2026 because people thought he was rich.
This year, the trend has gotten stronger. Reports say that by mid-February 2026, France had seen at least eight kidnappings tied to cryptocurrency. On February 12, a foiled home invasion in Val-de-Marne targeted the leadership of Binance France. Armed men were apprehended. There have also been several previous attempts, indicating that France is becoming a hotbed for these crimes.
The situation has gotten worse because of data leaks. A hack of the French tax platform Waltio in 2025 exposed user data that was allegedly linked to at least three kidnappings that made millions in cryptocurrency.
Investigators say that criminal networks from other countries hire local teens to carry out attacks for minimal pay. Young men aged 20 to 35 are more likely to be victims of crypto wealth flaunting on social media. France’s mix of obvious crypto activity, data leaks, and low conviction rates has made it less safe.
The growth shows that there are physical risks in addition to online ones. Experts say you should be careful online, use a hardware wallet, set up multi-signature accounts, and avoid showing off your wealth in public. Companies are being told to plan for what to do if someone is kidnapped.
There are arrests, like the sweeps that charged dozens of people in 2025, but the attacks keep happening, which means that the threat picture is changing. People who own crypto should be on the lookout because wrench assaults are getting worse all across the world.
