French Authorities Indict 88 People Following Surge in Violent Crypto ‘Wrench Attacks’

French authorities have indicted 88 people following a spate of violent crypto-related kidnappings known as “wrench attacks.”

Named after a popular xkcd webcomic, wrench attacks involve a criminal using violence, intimidation or confinement to compel a crypto holder to reveal their private keys or passwords.

France has been a hotbed for these types of robberies, with the country’s National Anti-Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office (PNACO) noting there have been more than 135 incidents since 2023.

The kidnappings are often put together by organizers abroad, who coordinate with recruiters in France, according to a February report from the Organized Crime Information, Intelligence and Strategic Analysis Service of the Judicial Police (SIRASCO)

The recruiters link the organizers with young people with criminal records, who carry out online intimidation and physical attacks.

The victims of these kidnappings are usually men between the ages of 20 and 35 who are involved with digital assets as investors, entrepreneurs or influencers.

Physical attacks against crypto holders are now a “structural threat’ to digital asset ownership, according to the blockchain security firm CertiK.

The firm noted in a report earlier this year that the frequency of wrench attacks skyrocketed by 75% in 2025.

CertiK documented 71 incidents in 2025 that resulted in more than $40.9 million in losses, a 44% year-on-year increase.

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