France is strengthening its security system after 77 cases of kidnapping, kidnapping, extortion or attempts linked to the crypto sector since the start of 2026. Faced with this rapid increase, the authorities want to speed up alerts, better identify sponsors and protect professionals and their loved ones.
In brief
- France records 77 violent cases linked to crypto in 2026.
- Around 200 suspects were arrested.
- The government is strengthening alerts and international cooperation.
Crypto: 77 cases recorded since January
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez presented these figures on June 30 before the Association for the Development of Digital Assets. The 77 cases identified already far exceed the 45 cases reported in 2025. France had, however, begun to prepare a protection plan several months earlier.
The figure does not only correspond to 77 kidnappings carried out to completion. It also includes kidnappings, extortion and foiled attempts. This clarification does not reduce the seriousness of the phenomenon. Rather, it shows that criminal networks are increasing their detections and operations.
Around 200 people were arrested after attacks or during preventive interventions. In a recent case in the Somme, the suspects were arrested eight hours after the incident. The authorities now want to further shorten this deadline.
The crypto threat becomes more organized
Attackers no longer only target platform founders or highly visible investors. Their families, employees and sometimes former crypto holders can also be targeted. Some victims no longer even have the amounts that the criminals think they will find.
Networks often use information available online. Social media posts, travel photos, earnings announcements or old data leaks can be used to build a financial profile. Visibility then becomes a physical risk.
France has already experienced several cases involving teams recruited through messaging services. The implementers may be young and inexperienced, while the organizers remain at a distance, sometimes abroad. This structure complicates investigations and facilitates the rapid replacement of those arrested.
The phenomenon of wrench attacks confirms this evolution. Crypto security no longer depends solely on passwords, hardware wallets, and two-factor authentication. It now also concerns homes, travel and personal data.
France wants to speed up alerts
The first axis announced relies on better sharing of information. Services must more quickly cross-reference information on vehicles, online accounts, recruitment and groups suspected of ordering attacks.
The government also wants to strengthen its partnership with Adan. A network of experts must bring together crypto companies and state services. The aim is to improve reporting and help police officers understand the technical mechanisms used during extortion.
In total, 724 professionals in the sector have already registered on platforms allowing their immediate identification by law enforcement. This number would have increased by 11%. This system must prevent a report involving a crypto actor from being treated as an ordinary matter.
The third axis aims for coordination between French services and the countries where certain sponsors are located. Local arrests remain insufficient when organizers direct operations from abroad.
Security goes beyond wallet protection
The police response can limit attacks, but it will not remove the risk created by data exposure. Platforms, administrations and companies in the sector sometimes hold information capable of identifying investors and their assets.
An internal leak or cyberattack can transform these bases into targeting tools. The authorities will therefore have to protect potential victims without creating new files that are too easy to divert.
For investors, discretion becomes a security measure. Publicly displaying your earnings, address or portfolio value can attract unwanted attention. The separation between public identity and financial activity takes on new importance.
France is thus moving from a response carried out case by case to a more structured strategy. The arrests show that investigations are progressing, but the increase to 77 cases reveals that the threat remains active. Protecting the sector will depend as much on police cooperation as on data security and the prevention of crypto extortion.
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