“Wrench Attacks Every Two Days” — Why France Is on Edge

[etfs]

Crypto security researchers are sounding the alarm: France has become a hotspot for so-called “wrench attacks” — violent assaults aimed at forcing victims to hand over private keys.

Bitcoin security advocate Jameson Lopp reports that 8 of the first 10 wrench attacks this year happened in France. Developers and influencers describe a climate where visibility alone can make someone a target — regardless of how wealthy or well-known they are.

French Bitcoin developer Kevin Loaec claims kidnappings are now “happening every two days,” blaming weak deterrence rather than flaws in crypto itself. Others have issued blunt warnings: if you’re a publicly identifiable crypto holder in France, leave.

The pattern is clear: when criminals believe crypto holders are easier to coerce than banks, violence fills the gap.

[cryptohog]

i get why criminals see it as easier than banks, scary how fast violence fills the gap