Armed attackers forced a French couple to transfer roughly $1 million worth of bitcoin during a home invasion Monday in Le Chesnay, a suburb west of Paris. The incident highlights a growing threat facing cryptocurrency holders: physical coercion used to bypass digital security protections.
According to reporting from TF1 Info and confirmation from the Versailles prosecutor’s office, three suspects entered the home after posing as police officers. Once inside, one attacker threatened the woman with a knife while demanding a cryptocurrency transfer. The man sent approximately €900,000 in bitcoin before the suspects tied him up and fled in a white van. Authorities have opened an investigation into kidnapping, armed robbery by an organized gang, and criminal conspiracy.
par M.L. avec AFP et le service Police-Justice de TF1-LCI
Why Are Physical Crypto Attacks Increasing?
Security researchers describe these incidents as “wrench attacks,” where criminals use physical force rather than technical exploits to obtain digital assets. The tactic bypasses hardware wallets, private key protections, and other cryptographic safeguards. According to data compiled by security researcher Jameson Lopp, roughly 70 physical assaults targeting crypto holders occurred globally in 2025, the highest annual total recorded in his decade-long dataset.
France has emerged as a notable hotspot in this trend. Earlier this year, kidnappers abducted Ledger co-founder David Balland, allegedly mutilating him while demanding a cryptocurrency ransom before police rescued the victims. In another recent case, French authorities arrested suspects accused of targeting Binance France executive David Princay in a failed home invasion linked to crypto assets.
Security experts say these crimes expose a structural weakness in digital asset custody. Even the most secure technical infrastructure cannot prevent attackers from coercing individuals directly.
“No matter how many technical precautions you take,” said Tor Bair, chief executive of Hybrid Minds Advisory, “no individual is immune to human attack vectors.”
The rise in violent incidents is likely to increase scrutiny around personal security practices among high-value crypto holders. Institutional custody solutions and multi-signature authorization models may see renewed interest as risk mitigation tools. The next catalyst may come from law enforcement responses in Europe, where authorities are under pressure to address the surge in crypto-linked violent crime.
