France's Crypto Kidnapping Crisis Has Become a National Security Emergency
France recorded 41 crypto-related violent robberies in just the first four months of 2026 — more than double the 19 cases logged across all of 2024, and a figure that puts the country on pace for a crisis with no clear precedent in the digital asset era.
The acceleration is stark. Globally, 2025 saw 72 physical crypto attacks, a 75% jump from the year prior. France alone accounted for more than a quarter of those incidents. The 2026 numbers suggest that trend has not only continued but accelerated sharply — averaging roughly one violent incident every 2.5 days.
According to SIRASCO, France's criminal intelligence unit, the majority of attacks are orchestrated from abroad, with foreign networks recruiting young people inside France to carry out the physical assaults. Victims skew heavily male, aged 20 to 35, and are typically identified through social media activity that signals wealth — luxury goods, travel, and public displays of financial success tied to crypto holdings.
The profile points to a deliberate targeting methodology, not opportunistic crime.
French Minister Jean-Didier Berger confirmed that the government has deployed a dedicated alert platform alongside security guidance for crypto investors. A more aggressive policy response is in preparation, with deployment expected within weeks, though specific measures have not been disclosed.
The data reflects a broader structural shift in how criminal networks extract value from crypto — moving away from hacks and scams toward direct physical coercion, exploiting the irreversibility of on-chain transfers once a victim is forced to sign.