France's Crypto Security Plan: 77 Attacks, 200 Arrests

France reported 77 cases of kidnapping, sequestration, extortion, and thwarted attempts targeting crypto professionals since the start of 2026. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez presented the numbers on June 30 before the Association for the Development of Digital Assets. The count already exceeds the 45 cases for all of 2025.

The figure includes both completed crimes and interrupted attempts. About 200 people have been arrested after assaults or during preventive interventions. In a recent case in the Somme, suspects were arrested eight hours after the events. Authorities want to shorten that delay further.

Attackers no longer limit themselves to platform founders. Families and employees are also targeted. Criminals use social media posts, travel photos, and data leaks to build financial profiles. Some victims do not hold the sums that criminals expect.

Attackers often recruit teams via messaging apps. Executors tend to be young and inexperienced while organizers stay at a distance, sometimes abroad. This structure complicates investigations and allows quick replacement of arrested individuals. The rise of wrench attacks means crypto security now depends on homes and movements, not just passwords and hardware wallets.

France's response includes better intelligence sharing and cross-border coordination. The government also formalized a partnership with the crypto industry group Adan. About 724 professionals are now registered in a system that allows immediate identification by law enforcement, an 11% increase. The goal is to prevent a report involving a crypto actor from being treated as an ordinary case.

The Operational Cost of Physical Security

For French crypto companies, the threat introduces direct operational costs. Physical security for team members and data hygiene on employee information will affect budgets. Legal compliance with the new registration system adds another cost. Firms may need to review insurance policies and crisis response plans.

The police response can limit attacks but will not eliminate the risk from data exposure. Platforms and companies hold information that can identify investors. An internal leak or cyberattack can turn customer databases into targeting tools. For investors, discretion becomes a security measure. Publicly displaying gains, addresses, or portfolio values can attract unwanted attention.

Authorities arrested 200 people in connection with these cases. The government also plans to expand cross-border coordination to target organizers operating from abroad.