Introduction
France has enacted new legal measures aimed at safeguarding individuals working in the cryptocurrency sector amid a wave of violent attacks and kidnapping threats. The legislation focuses on shielding personal data—especially residential addresses—of crypto professionals and their families from public exposure. This initiative responds to mounting concerns about physical safety and digital privacy.
Why the Law Matters Now
Crypto executives in France have become targets of escalating violence, including kidnappings, ransom demands, and wrench attacks—physical coercion used to force victims to surrender access to digital assets. Between January 2025 and early 2026, France recorded more crypto-related kidnappings than any other country, with at least 19 confirmed wrench attacks and over 20 violent incidents, establishing the nation as a hotspot for such crimes .
Several high-profile incidents spurred the new legislation. In January 2025, the co-founder of Ledger was kidnapped—his fingers mutilated—and released after negotiation by law enforcement . In May 2025, assailants attempted to abduct the daughter and grandson of the CEO of Paymium; they were rescued in broad daylight by the daughter and local residents . These events prompted swift government action to enhance protection for individuals in the crypto industry.
What the New Law Proposes
The centerpiece of the legislation, introduced by French MP Paul Midy, aims to curb the exposure of personal home addresses for crypto professionals and business founders:
- Government registries and third-party platforms must conceal personal addresses when relaying data, especially if a founder’s home also serves as the company’s legal address .
- Cryptographic pseudonymisation becomes an option—or requirement—to prevent doxxing via open-data platforms like Société.com and Pappers .
- Non-compliance could result in significant fines, up to €45,000, levied on platforms that continue to display personal addresses .
These changes mark a shift from reactive security to proactive privacy measures, recognizing the direct link between public personal data and physical threat exposure.
Complementary Security Measures
This legislative move complements existing security strategies deployed by French authorities:
- Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau convened industry and law enforcement leaders in May 2025 to address the surge in crypto-related threats. They agreed on enhanced measures including emergency police prioritization, proactive home security inspections, and specialized training for officers in crypto-related threats .
- Operational protocols now gift crypto professionals immediate access to emergency police support and risk assessments for their residences .
These short-term tools help mitigate immediate dangers while the legal framework takes shape.
Industry and Law Enforcement Reactions
Crypto community figures and security analysts have welcomed the new law as a necessary response to an alarming trend. CertiK, in its report on wrench attacks, characterized these threats as “structural” rather than isolated. They urged the sector to integrate personal security, privacy, and operational discretion alongside traditional technical safeguards .
Le Monde’s investigation revealed organized criminal networks exploiting publicly available information to target crypto leaders and their families across borders . In response, Interior Minister Retailleau emphasized the urgency of treating crypto professionals like high-risk sectors traditionally, including banks and jewelry businesses .
Forward-Looking: What Comes Next
Parliament will examine the bill in the coming months, likely as an amendment with support from data privacy advocates and security-minded lawmakers. Timely enactment is critical, given continuing attempts to kidnap industry figures—even as late as early 2026, when four attempted kidnappings occurred within just days .
The public and private sectors are also pursuing medium-term strategies:
- Insurance firms are developing kidnap-and-ransom policies tailored for crypto executives and their families .
- Privacy-conscious executives are adopting “stealth wealth” practices, minimizing public exposure and avoiding conspicuous displays of crypto involvement .
Conclusion
France’s new legal proposal to mask the personal addresses of crypto professionals responds directly to a surge in violent, organized attacks against the sector. Combined with enhanced emergency protocols and security training, the law marks a pivotal shift toward safeguarding individuals in an industry long focused solely on digital risks.
The coming months will be crucial. The industry will watch how quickly the legislation passes and how effectively its protections are enforced. Meanwhile, executives and their families continue to face real risks, and the law’s implementation may well determine whether France can stem—and hopefully reverse—the alarming trend of crypto-targeted violence.
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