In response to a recent surge in crypto-related kidnappings in France, the government has announced enhanced security measures for crypto entrepreneurs and their families. The new measures, as reported by Politico on May 16, include priority access to police emergency lines, home security assessments, and safety briefings from French law enforcement to ensure that best practices are being followed.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau introduced these security measures as part of a broader effort to combat the wave of attacks targeting professionals in the crypto sector. Retailleau emphasized the importance of deploying specific tools, both immediate and short-term, to prevent, dissuade, and hinder such criminal activities in order to protect the industry. Additionally, law enforcement officers will undergo specialized "anti-crypto asset laundering training" to better address this growing threat.

The need for these security measures became apparent following a series of alarming incidents in France. One of the most recent incidents involved an attempted kidnapping on May 13 targeting the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, CEO of the French crypto platform Paymium. The attackers tried to abduct them in broad daylight, but the quick thinking of Noizat's daughter thwarted the attempt by disarming one of the assailants and throwing away their weapon.

This incident is just one of several that have shaken the crypto community in France. In a separate case on May 3, Paris police rescued the father of a crypto entrepreneur who had been held captive in connection with a 7 million euros ($7.8 million) kidnapping plot. Another high-profile kidnapping occurred in January when the co-founder of Ledger, David Balland, was abducted from his home in central France and later rescued by a police operation.

Retailleau indicated that there may be connections between these incidents, suggesting a pattern of targeted attacks against individuals in the crypto sector. According to a GitHub database maintained by Bitcoin cypherpunk Jameson Lopp, there have been over 150 crypto-related robbery or kidnapping incidents since 2014, with 23 incidents reported in 2025 alone.

Lopp cautioned that criminals often target potential victims through social media, public conversations, meetups, and conferences. He advised against engaging in peer-to-peer trades, especially with unknown individuals, flaunting wealth on social media, and wearing crypto-branded clothing, which could inadvertently make individuals more vulnerable to such attacks.

As the crypto industry continues to grow and attract attention, the need for heightened security measures to protect its participants becomes increasingly critical. The French government's

Source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/french-crypto-entrepreneurs-and-families-to-receive-extra-security-amid-recent-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound