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 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 approximately one every two to three days. The phenomenon, known as 'wrench attacks,' involves the use of physical force to extract access to digital assets, often proving easier for attackers than attempting to break encryption. According to security researchers and law enforcement data, the trend is not only rising in France but also globally, with 72 verified physical coercion incidents reported in 2025, marking a 75% increase from the previous year. The shift in tactics has seen attackers moving from targeting 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 further exacerbated by insider leaks and compromised state data, which can feed directly into wrench attacks. As crypto adoption continues to grow, so does the severity and frequency of these attacks, raising concerns about the risks of self-custody and the need for enhanced security measures to protect crypto holders.