France is world’s most dangerous place for Bitcoiners: 90 attacks in 7 months

French authorities have recorded 90 cases of crypto-related violence, including kidnapping, extortion, threats and violent theft, over a seven-month period in 2026. This figure represents a new incident every two and a half days, according to the French Interior Ministry. The ministry notes that such data was not available for 2025 as recording began in January 2026.

This sharp rise in physical attacks on crypto holders in France has led to the country being dubbed the "crypto kidnapping capital of the world" by some experts. The surge is believed to be due to a significant data breach that exposed personal and financial information, including crypto holdings, of French taxpayers. This breach may have provided attackers with crucial details to target individuals, their homes and even their relatives.

Chainalysis, a leading blockchain analytics firm, has tracked 223 arrests and 126 imprisonments related to these attacks in France from January to July 2026. The attacks are not limited to Paris, with incidents reported in cities including Strasbourg, Marseille, Grenoble, Toulouse and Nantes. While traditional crypto security measures such as hardware wallets and strong passwords are still important, they are no longer sufficient to protect crypto holders from these targeted attacks.

French authorities are treating these incidents as organized crime, coordinating investigations through JUNALCO, the country's specialized organized crime jurisdiction.