France is facing a new wave of crypto-related crimes: what we know
23 April 21:25
In France, there has been a sharp rise in attacks on cryptocurrency owners—not account hacks, but physical threats. CoinDesk reports this, as cited by "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to CoinDesk, more than 40 cases of kidnappings and home invasions have been recorded since the beginning of the year. Authorities are clarifying the scale of the problem even further, noting that “since the start of the year, there have been at least 41 kidnappings or attacks related to cryptocurrencies in the country,” which amounts to roughly one incident every two to three days.
A Shift in the Nature of the Crimes
While hacking attacks were previously the main threat, physical coercion is now increasingly being used. Law enforcement officials and experts explicitly describe this new reality as “attacks involving physical coercion,” where a person is forced to transfer crypto assets themselves under threat of violence. This is the key vulnerability of cryptocurrency, as such transactions cannot be reversed once confirmed.
“Criminals are increasingly abandoning complex technical attacks and moving to simpler but harsher tactics. They track people, not systems,” the publication reports.
According to experts, criminals “analyze social media activity, public statements, and data leaks,” creating profiles of potential victims and literally studying their lifestyles. The greatest risk arises when a person is publicly associated with their crypto assets.
In 2025, there were 72 cases of physical violence related to cryptocurrencies
This trend is also confirmed by international data. Analysts at CertiK and researcher Jameson Lopp recorded 72 cases of physical violence related to cryptocurrencies in 2025 alone. This is 75 percent more than the previous year, and, as the researchers note, the actual figures may be significantly higher due to incomplete statistics.
“Against this backdrop, France is effectively becoming a hub for this type of crime. The situation drew particular attention during an international crypto conference in Paris, where security measures had to be stepped up, including police escorts for VIP guests. This indirectly indicates a shift in the level of risk even for public market participants,” according to a CoinDesk report.
French authorities acknowledge that existing tools are not yet effective enough. Jean-Didier Bergé, Minister Delegate to the Ministry of the Interior, stated that he is preparing a new package of measures in collaboration with Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. At the same time, preventive programs have already been launched, with thousands of users participating, but even the government acknowledges that this is not enough.
Data leaks pose a separate risk. In some cases, according to investigations, officials may have been involved. One high-profile incident involved a tax inspector suspected of passing confidential information to criminals.
Experts explicitly warn that “the circle of potential victims is expanding,” and that a person can be identified even through indirect digital traces.
Users are advised to use multi-signature wallets, set withdrawal limits, and sever the link between their identity and crypto assets as much as possible.
