Crypto Holders Under Siege: The Alarming Rise of Wrench Attacks in France

A surge in crypto-related kidnappings has placed France at the forefront of a global epidemic of wrench attacks, which involve the use of physical force to gain access to digital assets. The country's authorities have reported at least 41 such incidents this year, translating to roughly one every two to three days. This alarming trend has prompted government officials to acknowledge the scale of the problem and pledge to implement new measures to tackle it. The Minister Delegate to the Interior Ministry, Jean-Didier Berger, announced that a prevention platform has already been launched, but conceded that further steps are necessary to combat the rising number of attacks. The term 'wrench attack' refers to the use of physical coercion to extract access to digital assets, often because it is easier for attackers to target individuals rather than attempting to break encryption. According to security researchers and law enforcement data, the trend is not unique to France, with a 75% increase in verified physical coercion incidents globally in 2025. The shift in tactics has seen attackers move away from scanning for technical vulnerabilities and instead build profiles of potential victims, tracking their social media activity, public appearances, and leaked datasets to identify points of weakness. Researchers warn that the biggest avoidable mistake is tying real-world identity, location, and routine too closely to visible crypto wealth. The problem is exacerbated when attackers receive inside help from government officials, as seen in a case where a French tax official sold sensitive data to wrench attackers. The pool of potential victims has expanded, with mid-level holders increasingly being targeted, sometimes based on limited or indirect signals. Cases now include families, with children being targeted alongside crypto-holding parents, making the attacks harder to categorize by severity. Notable cases include the kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland in France, who was rescued after a police operation, and a crypto investor in New York, who was held for more than two weeks. Security experts point to the need for increased awareness and precautions, such as multi-signature setups, withdrawal delays, and spending limits, to reduce the risk of wrench attacks. As crypto adoption grows, the frequency and severity of attacks are increasing, transforming what was once a niche concern into a broader security risk.