Nearly 70% of all wrench attacks - physical assaults against crypto holders and their families to steal digital assets - happen in France, according to Bitcoin journalist Joe Nakamoto.
There have been 41 crypto-related kidnappings in France so far in 2026, Nakamoto said, or about one attack every two and a half days. He attributes the rise to know-your-customer data collection stored on centralized servers that were compromised in several high-profile data leaks, including the 2020 breach of hardware wallet provider Ledger’s customer data.
That leak exposed the identities, home addresses and emails of more than 270,000 customers worldwide. Jameson Lopp, CEO of crypto wallet and key management company Casa, said: “France is the canary in the coal mine, demonstrating how financial regulations create a surveillance apparatus that causes direct harm to bitcoin holders.”
The attacks are typically orchestrated by criminals living abroad, who contract young people in France to carry out the physical assaults. Nakamoto suggests users stay safe by using crypto custody services that offer features like a pre-agreed word or phrase indicating an active attack. The company can then freeze the assets and alert law enforcement.
He also recommends keeping a “decoy” crypto wallet with a small amount of funds to hand over to attackers, and advises holders to keep a low profile online.
At least 88 individuals have been arrested in connection with crypto wrench attacks in France, according to Vanessa Perrée, the country’s national prosecutor for organized crime.