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France is experiencing more crypto kidnapping that any other country in the world <\/p>\n
getty<\/p>\n
As crypto leaders descend on Cannes next week for ETHCC\u2014the Ethereum Community Conference\u2014there\u2019s a buzz in the air. Ideas are flowing, wallets are syncing, and the promise of decentralized finance feels more real than ever. But there\u2019s another undercurrent in France that attendees would be wise to acknowledge: the sharp rise in violent cryptocurrency-related crime.<\/p>\n
According to the May 2025 Global Guardian Risk Barometer<\/a>, France currently leads the world in crypto-related extortion and kidnapping cases. Five out of 21 reported global incidents in just the first five months of this year occurred in France\u2014more than any other country.<\/p>\n Just last month, an attempted kidnapping targeted the daughter of Pierre Noizat, CEO of Paymium, a French crypto exchange. The attack\u2014caught on camera in broad daylight in Paris\u2014was only thwarted thanks to the quick action of her partner and alert bystanders.<\/p>\n The incident sent shockwaves through the French Web3 scene and drew media attention to a disturbing trend: public crypto figures are being hunted like characters from a suspense series.<\/p>\n And the Noizat case wasn\u2019t an isolated event.<\/p>\n In January, Ledger co-founder David Balland<\/a> and his wife were kidnapped in Vierzon, France. The attackers severed one of Balland\u2019s fingers and demanded a crypto ransom, which was partially paid in Tether before French special forces rescued the couple.<\/p>\n It was later confirmed that French police had tracked the ransom trail and freed the victim from a trunk where he\u2019d been held for 58 hours. Five individuals were arrested during the raid, including two with previous convictions for crypto-targeted crimes.<\/p>\n In June 2025, just outside Paris, a 23-year-old <\/a>was lured into a fake meeting and held until their partner handed over a Ledger hardware wallet and \u20ac5,000 in cash. The attackers had tracked the individual through social media and crypto community posts.<\/p>\n This kind of \u201cwrench attack\u201d (where physical force is used to extract private keys) is increasingly targeting everyday investors, not just billionaires.<\/p>\n Why France Is Home Of So Many Crypto Attacks?<\/p>\n The answer lies at the intersection of crypto\u2019s growing visibility and France\u2019s unique position as a Web3-friendly nation. France has taken a proactive stance on digital assets\u2014from regulatory clarity to high-profile conferences like ETHCC. But with innovation comes exposure.<\/p>\n Several factors make France particularly vulnerable:<\/p>\n The investigation into the Noizat attack confirmed that some French crypto CEOs are now exploring hiring private security or even applying for permits to carry arms\u2014reflecting just how real the threat has become in what should be a bastion of innovation.<\/p>\n What ETHCC Attendees Should Know To Protect Their Crypto Investments<\/p>\n\n