The Alarming Rise of Crypto-Related Violence: How France Became a Hotbed for 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 introduce 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. The French government has responded by launching a prevention platform, which has already drawn thousands of registrations, and is preparing further steps to address the issue. The rise of wrench attacks, which involve the use of physical force to extract access to digital assets, has become a major concern globally. According to security researchers and law enforcement data, the trend is on the rise, with 72 verified physical coercion incidents reported worldwide in 2025, representing a 75% increase from the previous year. The term 'wrench attack' refers to the use of physical force to coerce individuals into granting access to their digital assets, often because it is easier to obtain access through coercion than by breaking encryption. Researchers have noted a shift in the way attackers identify victims, from scanning for technical vulnerabilities to building profiles based on social media activity, public appearances, and leaked datasets. Attackers are now targeting mid-level holders, sometimes based on limited or indirect signals, and the pool of potential victims has widened to include families and individuals with limited crypto wealth. The problem is exacerbated when attackers receive insider information from government officials, as seen in a recent case where a French tax official sold sensitive data to wrench attackers. The increase in attacks has raised questions about the risks of self-custody, a core principle of cryptocurrency, and security experts are pointing 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.