France vows tougher response after 77 crypto wrench attacks

France pledged a stronger response after 77 crypto-related wrench attacks were recorded in the first half of 2026, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported. The incidents, which include kidnappings, extortion and attempted extortion, rose from 45 recorded in all of 2025, a pace equal to nearly three attacks per week so far this year.

Nuñez gave the figures at a meeting of the Association for the Development of Digital Assets (ADAN) and announced measures to support victims and industry professionals. “These are serious matters, and your concern is legitimate,” he told the association.

French authorities launched a prevention platform and a rapid-alert and protection system for crypto holders and service providers earlier in 2026. The system has attracted 724 sign-ups and emergency measures tied to it have led to about 200 arrests. Nuñez cited a case in which an attacker was arrested within eight hours after a victim used an emergency identification hotline.

Nuñez outlined a three-part plan to reinforce security for the sector: boosted intelligence-sharing with foreign partners, closer cooperation with ADAN and improved operational coordination among France’s security services, noting many criminal networks operate from abroad.

Blockchain security firm CertiK reported a 41% increase in wrench attacks globally in the first four months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, reporting that most of those incidents occurred in Europe. CertiK described France as an epicenter, pointing to the presence of major crypto companies and executives, public exposure of holdings and repeated data breaches.

Ledger, a French hardware wallet maker, suffered a large data breach in 2020 when its customer database was hacked and more than 270,000 personal records were leaked. In January 2025, Ledger co-founder David Balland and his partner were kidnapped and held for ransom before police rescued them.

ADAN estimates about 11% of French adults own cryptocurrencies, roughly 7.3 million people. Authorities cite the scale of ownership, visible online activity and past data leaks as factors that make holders attractive targets for criminals who use physical coercion to obtain private keys or force transfers.

French officials said they will continue to expand the rapid-alert network and deepen information exchanges with industry groups and international partners as investigations and preventive work continue.