Crypto-related kidnappings are increasing in France and are now attracting attention beyond the sector. Behind this increase, a climate of insecurity is emerging around holders of digital assets. In this context, speeches are increasing, notably that of the artist Pascal Boyart, who calls into question the inaction of the authorities in the face of this phenomenon.
In brief
- Kidnappings and attacks targeting cryptocurrency holders are increasing in France, creating a climate of growing insecurity around the ecosystem.
- The artist Pascal Boyart accuses the State of inaction and criticizes the role of KYC and the judicial system, which he considers counterproductive for security.
- France accounts for a high proportion of this violence on a global scale, with increasingly organized attacks targeting both professionals and individuals.
- The implementation of DAC8 heightens concerns that the centralization of sensitive data could further expose investors to the risks of criminal exploitation.
Pascal Boyart warns of inaction in the face of crypto-related kidnappings
In France, the debate on the security of crypto players is gaining momentum. Pascal Boyart, recognized artist involved in the cryptocurrency ecosystem, speaks about the state's inaction. On network report relayed by the media Bitcoin News. This indicates that physical attacks using $5 wrenches and kidnappings targeting cryptocurrency holders are beyond any control in France.
On this, Boyart accuses the government of complicity in the subject in question while emptying his bag out loud:
The French government is entirely complicit. Rendering the justice system inoperable and requiring full identity verification (KYC) is tantamount to kidnapping clients; this is part of its war against cryptocurrencies.
Pascal Boyart
Thus, he questions the functioning of the judicial system in France in the face of these cases linked to cryptos and KYC imposed on holders, while considering that these devices are part of the authorities' war against the crypto industry.
An intensification of crypto violence which places France under pressure
France is gradually establishing itself as a major hotbed of crime linked to cryptocurrencies, with around 40 cases of organized kidnappings handled by the authorities from 2023 to the end of 2025, according to U.Today. This major trend is part of a broader dynamic where the country now appears to be a focal point of physical violence targeting holders of digital assets.
Furthermore, according to data reported by journalist Grégory Raymond, co-founder of The Big Whale, via a post published on the
This concentration highlights a particularly high exposure of Web3 players in France. There are multiple targeted profiles, ranging from entrepreneurs and managers to individual investors, including Bitcoin traders or miners, as illustrated in particular by the case of David Balland, co-founder of Ledger.
The attacks, often marked by intense violence (kidnapping, kidnappings, pressure on loved ones), reflect a change in operating methods. From now on, criminal groups seem to act in a structured manner, with upstream tracking and precise targeting including the family circle to force victims to give up their digital assets. Although not all cases are made public, these elements outline an increasingly worrying security climate around cryptocurrencies in France.
DAC8: a regulatory framework that questions investor security
Since January 1, 2026, the entry into application of the European directive DAC8 requires crypto exchange platforms to report their clients' transactions to the tax authorities. Concretely, these actors will have to transmit profiles of formidable precision. This includes full identity (name, address, date and place of birth), tax identification number, exact value of wallets as of December 31, as well as the cumulative volume of purchases and sales made over the year.
However, this massive centralization of financial information creates a colossal cyber and human risk. The paradox is chilling: under the guise of fighting against money laundering, this hyper-concentration of vulnerable data ultimately offers criminal networks the perfect catalog for profiling and attacking potential targets.
In this context, the threat is not a trivial hypothesis. The recent case of Ghalia C., a tax officer from Île-de-France who was indicted, proves the vulnerability of this type of infrastructure. This official, according to Yahoo Finance, illegally consulted the “Mira” basenormally reserved for ultra-sensitive tax files, to leak confidential information to criminals.
Discreetly paid via Western Union, it targeted public figures like Vincent Bolloré, prison guards, but above all crypto investors, considered ideal prey for extortion attempts. An internal flaw which tragically illustrates what could happen on a European scale with the databases from the DAC8.
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