French Family Held Hostage as €40,000 Crypto Heist Sparks Growing Concern

Four armed men broke into a family's home in northern France, binding them with black tape and forcing the father to transfer €40,000 in cryptocurrency. The attack, which took place on September [date] in Vendin-le-Vieil, is part of a growing trend of physical crypto attacks in Europe, with France accounting for up to 80% of documented cases.

The attackers, who were dressed in black and carried an iron bar and a knife, held the family hostage for two hours before making off with the cryptocurrency. The father was beaten until he handed over his account codes and login details, while the mother and children were kept under guard.

The investigation is now focused on tracing the €40,000 to identify how the attackers selected this specific house and gained access to the family's digital wealth. French authorities have logged 135 crypto-linked incidents since 2023, with 77 cases reported in just the first half of 2026.