French authorities have documented 90 cases of kidnapping, extortion, threats, and theft targeting cryptocurrency holders over a seven-month period. Data from the national prosecutor’s office, Pnaco, and Chainalysis indicate that violent crimes against individuals involved in crypto rose to 77 incidents in the first half of 2026, compared to 45 cases throughout 2025.
The frequency of these attacks increased from approximately 1.9 incidents per month in 2025 to about 4.6 per month in early 2026. Global thefts associated with these incidents exceeded $30 million during the first half of 2026. Publicly recorded violent attacks in France rose from 19 in 2025 to 30 in the first half of 2026 alone.
Investigations suggest that criminals identify targets through data breaches at crypto service providers. A notable example is a leak at the tax platform Waltio, which compromised the data of approximately 50,000 users. Such breaches expose personal details that allow attackers to locate victims and estimate their digital asset holdings.
By spring 2026, authorities had brought formal charges against 88 individuals, including ten minors, across 12 active cases. Law enforcement is currently focused on dismantling cross-border criminal networks. The government is also working to enhance security standards and promote intelligence sharing within the crypto industry.
