France has recorded 77 cases of kidnapping, unlawful detention, extortion, or attempted crimes linked to the crypto sector since January 2026, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. As reported by BFMTV, this represents a significant increase from 41 cases in April 2026, marking a 71% rise in crypto-related criminal activity. The minister shared these figures during a recent address to the Association pour le Développement des Actifs Numériques (ADAN), emphasizing that these are serious matters requiring legitimate concern from industry members. Nuñez told industry members, "These are serious matters and your concern is legitimate," while arguing that emergency steps taken over the past year had started to work.
According to the minister's address, about 200 people have been arrested either after attacks or during preventive operations. Nuñez highlighted a recent case in the Somme region where suspects were arrested eight hours after the incident, demonstrating the rapid response capabilities of French authorities. Additionally, 724 sector actors have registered on immediate identification platforms, representing an 11% increase from previous levels, as reported by BFM Business.
The new security plan will focus on three key areas, as outlined by Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. The first priority is strengthening intelligence sharing, which Nuñez called "fundamental and extremely effective." The focus is on gathering more intelligence on the criminal teams behind these crimes, since those ordering them are sometimes based abroad. The second area involves a closer partnership with ADAN, with plans to create a network of experts that will include both industry actors and state officials. The third focus area is strengthening operational coordination between government departments to neutralize offenders, along with enhanced cooperation with foreign states where perpetrators are located.
The security plan follows a series of high-profile attacks in 2026 that have intensified concerns about crypto-related crime. In February, intruders targeted the home of Binance France's chief executive, who was not present, and fled with two phones. In March, fake police officers robbed a couple of 900,000 euros in Bitcoin (BTC). The violence had intensified through 2025, including the notable case in January when kidnappers seized Ledger co-founder David Balland and his partner, demanding a crypto ransom while French media reported severe violence was involved. In April 2025, French prosecutors charged 25 people in connection with attempted kidnappings targeting crypto figures and their families, with suspects ranging in age from 16 to 23.
The official response has included raids, preventive checks, and cross-border police work, with notable successes including the arrest of Badiss Mohamed Amide Bajjou in Tangier in June 2025 by Moroccan authorities. According to crypto.news, French prosecutors accused Bajjou of playing a key role in several abduction plots, including the Balland case. Nuñez stated that the series of attacks stopped suddenly after the Morocco arrest, though he did not provide full details of the new plan. The ministry now aims to combine faster alerts, wider intelligence work, and closer links with crypto industry groups in what he described as a more ambitious approach than earlier security measures.
