In France, 90 violent crimes related to cryptocurrency occurred within 7 months, making it a hotspot for physical attacks globally

According to Cointelegraph, data from the French Ministry of the Interior shows that from January to mid-August 2026, France has experienced 90 cases involving cryptocurrency-related kidnappings, extortion, and violent thefts, averaging one incident every 2.5 days.

Blockchain analysis company Chainalysis reported that as of mid-2026, there have been 30 publicly recorded incidents of violent attacks involving cryptocurrency in France; security company Gart.io tracked 73 real-world attacks occurring in France this year, surpassing the 66 in the United States and 27 in the United Kingdom.

Eric Jardine, head of research at Chainalysis, believes that the surge in attacks is likely related to large-scale data breaches. The leak of French tax data and the user data breach disclosed by the cryptocurrency tax reporting platform Waltio in 2026 may have allowed attackers to obtain the identities, addresses, and asset information of cryptocurrency holders.

The report also noted that over 40% of related attacks in France involve relatives or acquaintances of the victims, with criminals potentially identifying targets in advance through social media, on-chain data, and leaked information. French authorities are coordinating investigations through a specialized organized crime judicial agency.