BroadChain learned that at 23:06 on April 26, according to Bitcoinist, the French National Prosecutor's Office for the Fight against Organized Crime disclosed that over 100 cryptocurrency-related kidnapping cases have occurred in the country in the past three years, with 46 recorded so far in 2026, a significant increase compared to 67 cases in the entire year of 2025. Currently, 12 cases are under trial, involving 88 defendants, of whom 75 are in pretrial detention.
Prosecutor Vanessa Perrée pointed out that the criminal networks have distinct characteristics, with multiple suspects repeatedly committing crimes. For example, three men aged 25-30 were sentenced for the November 2025 kidnapping in Challes-les-Eaux, with two of them also involved in the December 2025 case in Dompierre-sur-Mer, where they extorted 8 million euros from a couple. Telegram founder Pavel Durov accused French officials of selling encrypted data to fuel crime, but Perrée reiterated that the government will intensify crackdown efforts.
As a major European crypto hub, 5% of France's population (3.4 million people) hold cryptocurrencies. Interior Ministry representative Jean Didier confirmed that stricter measures will be introduced. Currently, the global crypto market cap stands at $2.59 trillion, with a 24-hour trading volume of $101.01 billion.