France logs 77 Bitcoin wrench attacks since Jan; security crackdown targets self-custody risk

France’s interior minister Laurent Nuñez says there were 77 Bitcoin-related kidnappings, extortions, and attempted extortions since January 2026, up from 45 for all of 2025. Authorities describe “wrench attacks” that use physical coercion to force victims to transfer Bitcoin, with officials calling Bitcoin the primary target due to high liquidity and the visibility of crypto executives. Nuñez announced a three-pillar security plan: (1) improved intelligence sharing to map criminal networks often operating abroad, (2) closer cooperation with the digital-asset trade body to connect industry experts to state agencies, and (3) better coordination with foreign governments where attackers are based. Police report 200 arrests, including one suspect captured within eight hours after a victim used an emergency identification hotline. France averages nearly three wrench attacks per week. About 11% of the population (around 7.3 million people) holds crypto, expanding the target pool. Reported incidents include a home attack linked to Binance France’s CEO and a March robbery where assailants posed as police and stole €900,000 in Bitcoin. Globally, wrench attacks rose 41% in the first four months of 2026 versus the same period last year, and research frames France as the epicentre—attributing the rise to off-chain operational security failures rather than protocol issues. With market fear elevated (Fear & Greed index 19) and Bitcoin dominance near 69.8%, traders should treat Bitcoin wrench attacks as a rising headline risk: it can increase near-term volatility via sentiment and drive more demand for tighter operational controls and self-custody security.