Encrypted Wealth Triggers “Real-World Risks”: Kidnapping Cases Surge, the Industry Enters a New Phase

The French National Anti-Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office has disclosed that kidnapping and illegal detention cases involving crypto assets are rising rapidly:

Since 2023, 135 related cases have been recorded

18 cases in 2024 → 67 cases in 2025 → 47 cases in 2026

Among the current 12 cases, 88 people have been prosecuted, and 75 people are being held in custody

Even minors have been involved, and the crimes are showing an organized trend

Notably, the kidnapping of David Balland (co-founder of Ledger) is also viewed as an important signal of this escalation in risk.
Structurally, this is no longer a single incident—it is an extension of “on-chain wealth → off-chain risks”:
When crypto assets have high liquidity and strong anonymity, they also become targets for real-world crimes.
This warning to the market is very direct—
Risk doesn’t only exist in price volatility; it also exists in asset security itself.
In the crypto world, making money is just the first step; protecting wealth is the harder part.
Truly mature investors don’t just study market trends—they also place greater emphasis on security and the boundaries of risk. Only those who can keep going can go farther.