France’s crypto kidnapping surge exposes the personal data trail behind wrench attacks
France says crypto-linked coercion is becoming a recurring organized-crime threat, not just a wallet-security issue. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said authorities recorded 77 cases this year involving unlawful confinement, abduction, extortion, or attempted extortion tied to crypto actors, up from 45 in 2025. He said 200 people were arrested and 724 crypto participants were added to emergency identification systems. The response now emphasizes intelligence sharing, a sector–state expert network, and cross-border coordination, reflecting that attackers may use leaked personal data, public records, family links, and visible wealth to target founders, employees, and major holders. France had already introduced measures such as emergency access, home-security audits, and police briefings, and a 2025 decree allows some executives to hide home addresses in registry filings. The key shift is that crypto security now includes physical protection and data minimization, not just custody tools like hardware wallets or multisig.
