Seven people were arrested after the kidnapping in Valence of a twenty-year-old Swiss man, where the captors demanded a ransom in cryptocurrencies and severed a finger before releasing the victim. The case is part of a wider rise in attacks targeting people with digital assets in France during 2025.
The Valence incident
Police rescued the victim after more than forty-eight hours following an operation that led to seven detentions. Authorities recovered the victim and collected material evidence that is now being processed to reconstruct the events and identify the suspects’ network.
Ransom, cryptocurrencies and criminal methods
The captors demanded payment with cryptoassets and exploited the high liquidity and privacy features of certain digital coins. Investigators report that attackers take advantage of irreversible transfers and cross-border movement of funds to make tracing and recovery harder, and they often use mixers, privacy coins and platforms in jurisdictions with lax controls.
Why these kidnappings increase
Kidnappings linked to cryptocurrencies are rising due to technical factors and social signals that expose potential targets. The ease of moving money across borders, public visibility of individuals perceived as “crypto-rich”, and the irreversible nature of many transactions create incentives for extortion and violent attack, which criminal groups replicate after observing previous successful cases.
Investigative tools and international cooperation
On-chain tracing and cross-border collaboration have become central to police responses against these criminal networks. Blockchain analysis allows authorities to identify money flows and potential entry points to exchanges, while international cooperation and human intelligence are essential to follow the economic path and dismantle transnational groups.
Limitations and laundering techniques
Traceability improves when withdrawal patterns appear, but converting crypto to fiat and using physical intermediaries still enable ransom laundering. Attackers often rely on intermediaries and cash-out strategies that complicate investigations, so combining digital forensic work with traditional policing remains necessary to close gaps.
Recommendations for crypto holders
Crypto holders should adopt stronger custody and operational security measures to reduce the risk of being targeted. Practical steps include using cold wallets and multisignature setups to protect funds, keeping holdings and routines private, separating online and offline presence, maintaining digital hygiene with multi-factor authentication and regular access reviews, and preparing a response plan that may include specialized Kidnap & Ransom coverage for high-risk situations.
Balancing safety and financial freedom
Responses must protect public safety without unnecessarily undermining personal custody and financial privacy. Effective policies should combine international cooperation, better investigative capacities and targeted measures against intermediaries that facilitate ransom laundering, while preserving principles of decentralization and autonomy that underpin cryptocurrencies.
The Valence arrests highlight the urgent need to adapt custody practices and strengthen international cooperation to mitigate the growing threat against crypto holders. Improving technical protocols, operational security and cross-border investigation will help preserve financial freedom while reducing the real dangers that accompany visible digital wealth.
