France Vows Tougher Crackdown as Crypto Wrench Attacks Surge to 77 in H1 2026

France is stepping up efforts to combat crypto kidnappings and extortion amid a dramatic rise in “wrench attacks” targeting crypto asset holders.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said authorities recorded 77 crypto-linked kidnapping, extortion, or attempted extortion cases during the first half of 2026. That already exceeds the 45 incidents reported during all of 2025.

Speaking to the Association for the Development of Digital Assets (ADAN), Nuñez acknowledged the growing threat and pledged a broader government response.

France Expands Protection for Crypto Holders

Nuñez said France has launched a dedicated prevention platform, along with a rapid-alert and protection system for cryptocurrency holders and industry professionals. The initiative has attracted 724 participants since its launch.

According to the minister, the emergency measures have led to around 200 arrests. He cited a recent case in which police arrested a suspected attacker within eight hours after a victim used an emergency identification hotline.

France is now expanding those efforts with a three-part security strategy. The plan includes greater intelligence-sharing with international partners to track cross-border criminal networks, closer cooperation with ADAN, and stronger coordination among French security agencies.

France Remains a Hotspot for Crypto Attacks

France has become one of the world’s main hotspots for crypto wrench attacks. In these crimes, attackers use physical violence or threats to force victims to hand over their digital assets.

The country also has a large crypto community. ADAN estimates that about 11% of France’s population, or roughly 7.3 million people, owns cryptocurrencies. That has made the sector an increasingly attractive target for organized crime.

CertiK Says Europe Leads Global Increase

Security firm CertiK disclosed in May that crypto wrench attacks worldwide rose 41% during the first four months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Europe accounted for most of the incidents.

The firm described France as the “epicenter” of the trend. It said the country has a high concentration of crypto companies and executives, a culture in which some community members publicly display their wealth and personal information, and the lingering effects of several major data breaches.

One of the most high-profile cases involved David Balland, co-founder of hardware wallet maker Ledger. He and his partner were kidnapped in January 2025 before French police rescued them.

CertiK also highlighted Ledger’s 2020 customer database breach, which exposed the personal information of more than 270,000 people. According to the firm, the leaked data has continued to fuel phishing campaigns and physical extortion attempts years later.

The security firm concluded that France remains one of the world’s most heavily targeted countries for crypto-related physical attacks and>Related: Seven Men Have Been Arrested For Crypto-Related Kidnapping in France