France has logged 77 crypto-linked kidnapping and extortion cases so far in 2026, up from 45 last year. Authorities have arrested approximately 200 people connected to these crimes, but the pace of attacks shows no sign of slowing down.
The numbers paint an ugly picture
France saw around 30 crypto-related kidnapping and home invasion cases in 2025. By mid-April 2026, that number had already hit 41, roughly one attack every two and a half days. The total has since climbed to 77 through early July.
France alone has accounted for approximately 70% of global “wrench attacks,” the industry term for physical assaults aimed at extracting crypto holdings from victims.
Ransom demands in these cases typically range from around 700,000 euros to over $1 million in Bitcoin. The victim list includes executives from Ledger, Binance France, The Sandbox, and Paymium.
