France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has announced that 77 cases of kidnapping, extortion, or attempted extortion linked to crypto assets were identified in the first half of 2026. This figure marks a significant rise compared to the 45 incidents documented over the entire year of 2025, highlighting an alarming uptick in such crimes.
Government unveils enhanced security strategy
Nuñez stated that the French government is adopting a more assertive approach in response to escalating attacks targeting the digital asset sector. Backed by a pledge to support the industry, authorities plan to fortify security through a comprehensive three-pronged strategy.
Addressing the Digital Asset Development Association (ADAN), Laurent Nuñez underscored that these incidents are extremely serious and acknowledged that concerns voiced by industry representatives are entirely legitimate.
The revised plan includes initiatives to boost intelligence sharing—especially since many criminal networks operate from abroad, deepen cooperation with ADAN, and strengthen operational coordination among security agencies. Representing leading digital asset businesses and professionals in France, ADAN is one of the nation’s principal industry associations.
Mini glossary: A “wrench attack” describes cases where attackers use physical threats and violence, rather than technical hacking, to gain access to digital wallets or crypto assets. ADAN is a French industry body representing digital asset companies and professionals.
Warning system and protection for crypto holders
France has become one of the countries experiencing a surge in physical attacks against crypto asset owners. Data from ADAN reveals that roughly 11% of the population holds crypto assets, amounting to around 7.3 million people nationwide.
Authorities have introduced a dedicated prevention platform alongside a rapid warning and protection system for crypto investors and sector professionals this year. According to Nuñez, a total of 724 individuals have registered with the system so far.
In terms of emergency response, 200 individuals have been detained or arrested. In one recent Friday incident, Nuñez reported that a perpetrator was apprehended within eight hours, aided by the victim’s use of the emergency identity hotline.
Physical attacks rising across Europe
Blockchain security firm CertiK, in a May report, stated that global physical extortion-based crypto attacks increased by 41% in the first four months of 2026 compared to the same period last year. The majority of these incidents, according to the company, have been recorded in Europe.
CertiK notes that France ranks among the world’s most targeted countries for such crimes, with the nation becoming a hotspot for these attacks.
CertiK attributes this trend in France to several factors: a high concentration of top industry firms and executives, strong personal visibility within the community, and the lingering effects of past data breaches.
Ledger founder’s abduction brought risks back to the forefront
In one high-profile case, David Balland, co-founder of French hardware wallet producer Ledger, was kidnapped with his partner in January 2025 and held for ransom. The police rescue operation spotlighted the ongoing physical security threats facing the sector.
Ledger previously suffered a major cyberattack in 2020 when its customer database was breached, exposing data belonging to over 270,000 people. This incident triggered a sustained increase in phishing attempts and physical attacks targeting the crypto community.
