From January 1 to mid-August 2026, France’s Interior Ministry recorded 90 crimes against crypto holders, including kidnappings, extortion, threats and violent robberies. That’s one new case every two and a half days. 223 people have been arrested.
According to Gart.io, France leads the world in physical attacks on crypto investors, with 73 cases, compared with 66 in the US and 27 in the UK. The attacks have long since spread beyond Paris and have been reported in Marseille, Strasbourg, Toulouse and other cities.
Chainalysis links the wave of attacks to data leaks. In 2024, a tax official near Paris exposed taxpayer information, including crypto holdings. In January 2026, crypto tax service Waltio disclosed a breach affecting 50,000 users.
Criminals are increasingly targeting the people close to crypto holders rather than the holders themselves. In France, relatives and acquaintances make up over 40% of victims, compared with 25–30% globally.
