French minister Jean-Didier Berger announced at Paris Blockchain Week that authorities are preparing new steps to protect cryptocurrency holders. The announcement came after another attack this week: four criminals in Burgundy kidnapped a mother and her 11-year-old child, demanding a €400,000 ($471,000) ransom from the father, a crypto entrepreneur. Police arrested all four suspects by Tuesday morning, and both victims were freed unharmed.
Four Criminals Seized a Mother and Child in Burgundy
The incident happened on Monday April 13. The four suspects took a woman and her 11-year-old child, then contacted the father (a crypto entrepreneur) with a €400,000 ($471,000) ransom demand. France24 reported the case citing the Paris prosecutor's office.
Police tracked down the group and arrested all four by the morning of Tuesday April 14. Earlier episodes this year went less smoothly for law enforcement: some perpetrators remain at large, and several victims were harmed before their release.
France's Numbers for 2025-2026
France had more verified physical crypto attacks in 2025 than any other country - 19 confirmed cases. Europe as a whole accounted for around 40% of global incidents, even though its share of global crypto holders is smaller than North America or Asia.
What Minister Berger Promised
Speaking at Paris Blockchain Week, Berger said his office has already taken preventive steps, including a protection platform that drew thousands of sign-ups. That is not enough, he acknowledged.
He said he and Interior Minister Laurent Nunez are working on what he called a "more serious plan" to be announced in the coming weeks. He did not say whether the plan includes dedicated security measures for high-profile crypto entrepreneurs, legislative changes, or increased investigative capacity.
Two High-Profile Cases From Early 2026
In March, a French couple in their 50s lost $1 million in Bitcoin when criminals posing as police officers forced them to hand over wallet access. The fake-police method was new to French criminal circles at the time.
In February, police arrested six people for kidnapping a magistrate and her mother. The real target was the magistrate's partner - a crypto entrepreneur. Both cases point to the same pattern: attackers research their targets first, looking for people with known connections to the crypto industry rather than striking at random.
Digital Threats Running in Parallel
Physical attacks are one side of the risk. In April, a musician lost 5.9 BTC through a fake Ledger app. Digital schemes exploit the same vulnerabilities - a public profile, a trusted brand name, weak two-factor authentication.
The method depends on the target. A public crypto entrepreneur with a known address is a candidate for physical attack. A retail investor without technical knowledge is a candidate for phishing or a fake app. French police are already advising holders to avoid disclosing portfolio details and not to broadcast wealth publicly.
Pressure on Governments Is Building
41 attacks in under four months is not a run of bad luck - it is a structural problem. An open market, rising asset prices, and no central registry of holders makes the industry an attractive target for organized groups. A government minister showing up at a crypto conference to discuss physical security is itself a signal: authorities can no longer treat this as a fringe issue.
Specific measures will be announced in the coming weeks. The conversation about the physical safety of crypto holders has moved out of niche forums and into mainstream policy.
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