Jean-Didier Berger, France’s Delegate Minister of the Interior, announced new preventive measures against physical attacks on crypto owners. He spoke during Paris Blockchain Week following another high-profile kidnapping in the country.
On Monday in Burgundy, four unknown assailants abducted a woman and her 11-year-old child, demanding a €400 000 ($471 000) ransom from the father, a crypto entrepreneur. By Tuesday, police had detained the suspects and freed the victims, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.
Attacks Every 2.5 Days
Since the start of 2026, France has recorded 46 crypto-related kidnappings — an average of one attack every 2.5 days, RTL reported. In 2025, the country led in so-called wrench attacks — incidents involving physical violence or threats to force victims to transfer digital assets. There were 19 such cases, while Europe accounted for around 40% of the global total.
Globally, figures from CertiK show a 75% increase, reaching 72 confirmed cases over the year.
Berger said his ministry has already launched a preventive platform that has drawn thousands of sign-ups and is working with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez on a broader plan, with details expected in the coming weeks.
Incidents That Are Hard to Ignore
In March, attackers posing as police officers stole Bitcoin worth $1M from a French couple in their 50s. Earlier, in February, police arrested six suspects in a case involving the kidnapping of a judge and her mother — the criminals demanded a ransom from the judge’s partner, who was also active in the crypto sector.
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