The Alarming Rise of Crypto-Related Kidnappings in France and the Growing Threat of Wrench Attacks

A surge in crypto-related kidnappings has put France at the forefront of a global rise in wrench attacks, with the country experiencing one incident every 2.5 days. As a result, the government has taken notice and is preparing new measures to tackle the problem, including a prevention platform that has already drawn thousands of registrations. The term 'wrench attack' refers to the use of physical force to extract access to digital assets, and the trend is on the rise globally, with 72 verified physical coercion incidents reported in 2025, a 75% increase from the previous year. The shift in tactics has seen attackers move 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, such as in the case of a French tax official who sold sensitive data to wrench attackers. The pool of potential victims has widened, with mid-level holders increasingly being targeted, and cases now include families, with children targeted alongside crypto-holding parents. The rise in attacks has raised questions about the risks of self-custody, a core principle of cryptocurrency, and security experts point to measures such as multi-signature setups, withdrawal delays, and spending limits as ways to reduce risk. As crypto adoption grows, attacks are becoming more frequent and severe, turning what was once a niche concern into a broader security risk.