French authorities have arrested seven suspects in connection with the kidnapping of a 20-year-old Swiss man. This is the latest case in France’s growing number of kidnappings linked to the crypto industry.
According to reports, the victim was rescued in Valence by 150 gendarmes working together in a special mission last Sunday. He was found tied up in a house near the city’s high-speed train station.
Kidnappings aimed at investors with significant crypto assets have grown in popularity, emerging at the crossroads of digital innovation and organized crime. These attacks, which were once limited to isolated events, have spread globally, taking advantage of the openness and decentralization that make cryptocurrency innovative.Â
From high-profile executives and influencers to unwitting casual investors, no one in the crypto ecosystem is immune.
France leads in crypto kidnapping in Europe
France has been through some of the worst cases recently. Kidnappers took David Balland, co-founder of Ledger, in January, cut off one of his fingers, and demanded a fee before letting him go.
In May, the father of a crypto executive from Malta was taken to Paris. His finger was also cut off before the cops came and freed him. Also, in June, police nabbed Badiss Mohamed Amide Bajjou in Morocco and charged 25 people with plots that included an attack on Paymium CEO Pierre Noizat’s pregnant daughter.
Analyst Jameson Lopp tracked at least 10 wrench attacks in France in 2025 alone, nearly a quarter of the 48 reported globally this year.
Nearly $128 million obtained through crypto kidnapping
Unlike traditional robberies, crypto kidnappings enable criminals to demand large amounts of money that can be transferred fast and discreetly. The convenience and effectiveness of such transactions highlight the increasing risks associated with digital crimes.
Over the last 18 months, kidnapping attacks on crypto holders have increased, with at least 231 physical occurrences confirmed globally, involving abductions, home invasions, and violent coercion, culminating in the deaths of at least six victims.Â
The irreversible nature of blockchain transactions, along with cryptocurrency’s supposed anonymity, has created a perilous environment in which violence and cunning coercion have emerged as new instruments of extortion.
Of the $166 million stolen through physical attacks on cryptocurrency holders from 2022 to 2025, almost $128 million has been obtained through kidnapping. Recent cases have amplified the lucrativeness of these attacks with ransoms ranging from six-figure sums to multi-million dollar demands.
Asia leads in crypto violence globally
Early on, clusters of violence were most common in Southeast Asia and Latin America. Now, the pattern of violence is seen all over the world. Asia is still the leader in the region, but Europe and the US are now very close behind. In the first half of 2025, France alone has reported six big incidents, such as high-profile kidnappings and violent mutilations.
The US has had 48 proven crypto-related kidnappings since 2019, more than any other country. Unlike large, coordinated, international syndicates, American cells tend to act with ruthless efficiency and operate independently, making them unpredictable and more challenging to dismantle.
Meanwhile, experts say these kidnappings can be stopped if any public disclosure of holdings, even among acquaintances, is completely avoided. Using pseudonymous identities and fresh wallet addresses for different transactions can be effective in this regard.
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