France has become the global capital for cryptocurrency-related kidnappings and violent "wrench attacks" in early 2026, according to security reports and media investigations. The country recorded 19 such attacks throughout 2025, leading the world, and has already witnessed 6 cases in the first two months of 2026.
The criminal modus operandi involves physical violence, home invasions, and actual abductions to coerce victims into transferring their digital assets. Recent high-profile incidents include an attempted home invasion targeting Binance France CEO David Prinçay on February 12, where three armed, masked men broke into a residential building in Val-de-Marne. In another disturbing case, the partner of a magistrate was kidnapped and held in a garage in the Drôme region for 30 hours, with threats of mutilation issued unless a cryptocurrency ransom was paid.
Experts point to significant data breaches as a primary catalyst for the surge. In June 2025, it was revealed that an employee at the French tax agency had been providing criminals with data on crypto investors. This was compounded in January 2026 by a hack of the tax reporting platform Waltio, which exposed the personal data and 2024 tax reports of 50,000 customers.
Ari Redbord of TRM Labs explained the trend: "As cryptocurrency adoption grows and more value is held directly by individuals, criminals are increasingly incentivised to bypass technical defenses altogether and target people instead." The broader global picture shows wrench attacks increased by 75% from 2024 to 2025, resulting in approximately 25 kidnappings, 3 murders, and over $40 million in losses. Europe accounts for nearly 40% of these incidents.
Authorities have made arrests, including six suspects in the magistrate kidnapping case, but a lack of exemplary convictions is fueling a sense of impunity. Many perpetrators are reportedly minors or young adults recruited through apps like Telegram for minimal payments. The crypto investor community in France is living in a state of constant alert, with many investing in enhanced physical security. Growing pressure is now on the French government to impose harsher penalties and strengthen protection protocols for digital asset holders.
