French prosecutors have charged 88 individuals, including more than 10 minors, across 12 active investigations into violent cryptocurrency wrench attacks, with 75 suspects placed in pre-trial detention. France has recorded 135 crypto-related incidents since 2023, with 67 in 2025 and 47 already in 2026, making it a global hotspot that recorded 19 wrench attacks in 2025 compared to eight in the United States. Authorities describe the attacks as the work of structured criminal networks with foreign masterminds operating through local middlemen, exploiting data breaches including a leak at ANTS that exposed 12 million citizens' personal information. High-profile victims include Ledger co-founder David Balland, who was kidnapped and mutilated, and a couple in Versailles forced to transfer roughly $1 million in Bitcoin at knifepoint. French officials urge crypto holders to limit social media exposure as global wrench attacks reached a record 72 incidents in 2025, resulting in over $40.9 million in losses.
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