France Becomes Epicenter of Crypto-Related Kidnappings Amid Rise in Wrench Attacks

A surge in crypto-related kidnappings has put France under the international spotlight, prompting government officials to acknowledge the scale of the problem and prepare new measures to tackle it. This year alone, the country has seen at least 41 crypto-related kidnappings and home invasions, occurring at a rate of roughly one every two to three days. Minister Delegate to the Interior Ministry, Jean-Didier Berger, announced that a prevention platform has already drawn thousands of registrations, but further steps are needed as incidents continue to rise. The term 'wrench attack' refers to the use of physical force to extract access to digital assets, and according to security researchers and law enforcement data, such attacks are becoming more frequent and violent globally. In 2025, there were 72 verified physical coercion incidents worldwide, representing a 75% increase from the previous year. The trend is attributed to the fact that it is often easier for attackers to coerce a person into revealing their digital assets rather than attempting to break encryption. Researchers note that attackers are shifting their strategy from scanning for technical vulnerabilities to building profiles of potential victims, tracking their social media activity, public appearances, and leaked datasets to identify points of weakness. The problem is exacerbated when attackers receive insider information 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 being increasingly 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. Experts warn that anybody can be a potential victim and that the increase in attacks raises questions about the risks of self-custody, a core principle of cryptocurrency. To reduce risk, security experts recommend measures such as multi-signature setups, withdrawal delays, and spending limits to limit how much can be accessed under duress.