France Prepares New Measures to Protect Cryptocurrency Holders
Jean-Didier Berger, a ministerial representative for internal affairs, stated at Paris Blockchain Week that France is preparing new measures to protect cryptocurrency holders. He revealed that authorities have launched a prevention platform and attracted thousands of registrations, while working with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez to develop a more robust response plan, expected to be implemented in the coming weeks.
This statement comes in the context of 41 cryptocurrency-related kidnapping cases reported in France in 2026, averaging one every 2.5 days; globally, such "ransomware attacks" increased by 75% in 2025, with France being the most affected country, accounting for about 40% of the total incidents in Europe. These events highlight the rising physical security risks faced by individuals and families holding high-value cryptocurrency assets.
Source: Public Information
ABAB AI Insight
France's government is rapidly responding from prevention platforms to more robust plans, elevating the security of crypto assets from a technical issue to a public safety concern. The high frequency of 41 kidnapping cases reflects the concentration of crypto wealth in traceable and liquid assets, attracting organized crime to shift from cyber attacks to physical coercion, amplifying the external risks for holders, especially in a relatively friendly but slow-to-enforce regulatory environment.
This phenomenon corresponds to the distribution constraints in the maturation process of the crypto industry. High valuations and liquidity create visible wealth targets, while the traditional criminal investigation system's adaptation to tracking digital assets lags behind, leading to violent incidents becoming a real cost. As a hub for crypto activities in Europe, France's share of incidents highlights the tension between local regulatory appeal and security externalities, prompting the government to intervene administratively to compensate for the market's spontaneous protection shortcomings.
In a longer historical context, such waves of "ransomware attacks" continue the pattern of emerging asset classes shifting from virtual to physical risks. Similar to the early gold or diamond tycoons facing plunder, the acceleration of crypto technology has increased wealth visibility without simultaneously strengthening institutional protections at the personal level. This drives capital towards custodial services, self-custody tools, and insurance products, while accelerating the redistribution of power among national security agencies, crypto platforms, and high-net-worth holders, thus constraining the scale effects of technological innovation by the violent constraints of the physical world.