france

According to market news, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son is in talks for a major data center project in France; the related deal may be announced this month.In addition, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son is considering making a multi-billion dollar investment.

According to a report by The Block, the crypto security firm CertiK released a report today indicating that in the first four months of 2026, there have been 34 confirmed cases of crypto "ransom attacks" globally (i.e., offline physical assaults and extortion targeting crypto asset holders), an increase of 41% compared to the same period in 2025, with total losses for victims amounting to approximately $101 million. If the trend continues, the total number of incidents for the year is expected to reach around 130, with losses potentially soaring to hundreds of millions of dollars.In terms of geographical distribution, out of the 34 incidents, 28 (82%) occurred in Europe, with France being particularly notable, having recorded 24 incidents in just the first four months of 2026, surpassing the total of 20 incidents for the entire year of 2025. CertiK attributes this to France's hosting of flagship crypto companies like Ledger and Binance, frequent data breaches, and a prevalent culture of "showing off wealth and doxxing" within the community. In contrast, the number of reported incidents in the United States dropped from 9 in 2025 to 3 in the first quarter, while Asia saw a decrease from 25 to 2.Regarding attack patterns, CertiK pointed out that criminal groups have shifted to a "data-driven targeting" model, reducing the need for on-site reconnaissance by purchasing victims' names, addresses, and asset information from data intermediaries. This year, over half of the incidents involved threats or direct harm to victims' family members (spouses, children, elderly parents) as a means of exerting pressure. In terms of execution, small groups of 3 to 5 individuals typically operate through

According to Catcher Predict monitoring, the event "2026 FIFA World Cup Champion" is currently among the hottest trades on the prediction market Polymarket, with a cumulative pool size reaching $914 million. The option with the highest market consensus is "France," corresponding to a winning probability of approximately 16.85%.

According to Jinshi reports, the French CAC40 index surged 3% during the day, currently reported at 8,306.34 points.

According to Cointelegraph, Vanessa Perrée, the French national prosecutor for organized crime, stated that 88 people have been prosecuted for allegedly carrying out "ransom attacks" against cryptocurrency holders, including 10 minors, with 75 individuals in pre-trial detention, involving 12 cases currently being investigated by a Paris court judge. "Ransom attacks" refer to the use of violence through home invasions, kidnappings, and other means to gain access to the victims' cryptocurrency wallets.Perrée indicated that some suspects are involved in multiple cases, revealing the existence of a structured network, and the investigation is ongoing to identify all perpetrators and planners. Records from the French national office for organized crime show 18 such incidents in 2024, 67 in 2025, and 47 so far in 2026.

According to French media reports, on the morning of April 20 local time, a malicious "targeted robbery of crypto assets" occurred in Ploudalmézeau, France: two masked gunmen broke into a residence, controlling and binding a family of five (including two children and two elderly individuals) for several hours, ultimately coercing the victims to transfer approximately 700,000 euros worth of cryptocurrency.The incident took place in a residential community in broad daylight, and the suspects were clearly "well-prepared," having a thorough understanding of the victims' crypto asset holdings. Police initially determined that this case represents a typical new crime model of "offline violence + on-chain transfer," where personal threats are used to forcibly obtain private keys or transfer authorizations.It is noteworthy that the family members of the victims were engaged in work related to the crypto industry, which may have been a significant reason for this targeted crime. The case is still under investigation, and the suspects have not yet been arrested.This incident once again highlights that, against the backdrop of the increasing popularity of crypto assets, "physical world attacks" (such as kidnapping and home invasion) are becoming new security risk points, and personal asset security is no longer limited to on-chain protection.

According to DL News, a 40-year-old cryptocurrency industry worker in Saint-Jean-de-Védas, near Montpellier, France, was the victim of an attempted armed robbery at home.The suspect disguised as a delivery person entered the house and demanded the victim hand over the private key to their cryptocurrency wallet; the victim took advantage of the suspect's distraction to tackle them and seize the handgun. Gunshots were fired at the scene, but no one was injured. The suspect then fled, and after three days of pursuit, the police arrested them. The local court has charged the suspect with attempted armed robbery, and the prosecution stated that they may have been instructed by a mastermind behind the scenes.

French police are investigating a vicious cryptocurrency "ransom attack" case. Three criminals disguised as police officers broke into a residential home near Paris, threatened and controlled a couple in their 50s with knives, forcing the husband to transfer approximately $1 million worth of Bitcoin that he held. The victims were injured, the husband was bound, and the criminals fled in a car after their heist.This case highlights that the security threats in cryptocurrency are shifting from digital attacks to physical coercion against holders. Criminals impersonate police, create a sense of urgency and

France has become a hotspot for wrench attacks, with at least 41 reported cases of kidnappings and home invasions related to cryptocurrency this year, averaging one incident every 2.5 days. Jean-Didier Berger, the Minister of the Interior's representative, stated that he is preparing a series of new measures with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez to address this issue.A wrench attack refers to physically coercing victims to transfer cryptocurrency assets through bodily violence. Data from Certik and Jameson Lopp shows that the number of verified physical coercion incidents globally reached 72 in 2025, a 75% increase year-on-year, with cases involving physical attacks rising by 250% year-on-year. David Balland, co-founder of Ledger, was kidnapped in France in January 2025. Security researchers point out that attackers are shifting from searching for wallets to hunting individuals, targeting victims through social media and leaked data.Due to the irreversible nature of cryptocurrency transactions, attackers often convert illegal gains into stablecoins and transfer them across chains to evade detection. Experts recommend using tools such as multi-signature, withdrawal delays, and spending limits to reduce the risk of being attacked.

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure stated that Europe needs more euro-denominated stablecoins and encouraged EU banks to explore tokenized deposits, a statement seen as a potential shift in the position of the French government and central bank.Lescure publicly supports the Qivalis alliance, composed of 12 European banks including BBVA, ING, UniCredit, and BNP Paribas, which plans to launch a euro-pegged stablecoin in the second half of 2026 to address the dominance of the dollar in the digital payments space. He pointed out that the current scale of euro stablecoins is far lower than that of dollar stablecoins, which is "unsatisfactory," and emphasized that promoting relevant developments is "exactly what we need." In contrast, former Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire had a strong opposition to privately issued stablecoins, believing they threaten monetary sovereignty; recently, French central bank governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau also warned that stablecoins and tokenized currencies could pose risks of "monetary privatization." Analysts believe that France's latest statement may signal a more pragmatic approach in Europe regarding stablecoin and digital currency policies, attempting to seek a balance between regulation and innovation.

French Interior Minister representative Jean-Didier Berger stated at the Paris Blockchain Week that France is preparing to introduce new measures to protect cryptocurrency holders. He revealed that authorities have launched a prevention platform and attracted thousands of registrations, while working with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez to develop a more stringent response plan, expected to be implemented in the coming weeks.In this context, there have been 41 cryptocurrency-related kidnapping cases in France in 2026, averaging one every 2.5 days; in 2025, global incidents of such "ransom attacks" increased by 75% year-on-year, with France being the most severely affected country in the world, accounting for about 40% of the total incidents in Europe.

According to Cointelegraph, Denis Beau, the First Deputy Governor of the French Central Bank, stated at the EUROFI high-level seminar that the French Central Bank is pushing for the EU to strengthen the payment restrictions of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) on non-euro stablecoins, particularly targeting dollar-pegged stablecoins. Beau pointed out that existing regulatory measures may not adequately address the risks brought about by the widespread adoption of stablecoins.Meanwhile, the French National Assembly passed an anti-fraud bill on April 7, which aims to require annual reporting of self-custody crypto wallets valued over 5,000 euros, but the bill has not yet completed the legislative process.

According to Jinshi reports, the French CAC40 index surged 5% during the day, currently reported at 8,304.55 points.

According to Solid Intel, the central banks of France and South Korea are collaborating on a framework for tokenized cross-border payments and digital assets.

According to DL News, police in the Île-de-France region of France arrested two teenagers (aged 15 and 17) and a 35-year-old man, all suspected of carrying out two armed kidnappings targeting cryptocurrency holders on March 10 in the Île-de-France region.Reports indicate that the first incident occurred in the Essonne department in the southern suburbs of Paris, where the suspects, wearing masks and carrying small explosive devices, attempted to break into the home of a cryptocurrency holder but failed. About 30 minutes later, another incident took place in the Seine-et-Marne department, where the suspects successfully broke into the home of a female cryptocurrency holder, kidnapped her family, and stole jewelry; it has not been disclosed whether cryptocurrency assets were also stolen.The police subsequently tracked the suspects' vehicle, deploying about 100 armed special police officers and two police helicopters to pursue them, intercepting the vehicle after approximately 6 hours and discovering the stolen jewelry inside. Prosecutors have charged the three individuals with extortion, organized crime, armed robbery, property damage, and kidnapping. Currently, the 17-year-old suspect and the 35-year-old man are in custody awaiting trial, while the 15-year-old suspect is under judicial supervision, and prosecutors have appealed this decision.

According to CCTV reports, French Foreign Minister Barrow stated that France "is ready" to participate in the defense actions of Gulf countries.

According to the announcement on the MARA official website, the transaction for MARA France to acquire 64% of Exaion's shares has been completed, with EDF remaining a minority shareholder and customer; NJJ has invested 10% in MARA France.Exaion focuses on HPC data centers and secure cloud/AI, with a board that includes Xavier Niel and MARA CEO Fred Thiel, aiming to accelerate expansion in Europe.

According to Bitcoin News, attacks against Bitcoin holders in France are accelerating.Since 2017, there have been 47 recorded attacks against Bitcoin holders in France, with 38 occurring in the past 13 months. The vast majority of these incidents have happened recently, indicating a sharp increase in criminal activities targeting cryptocurrencies.

Binance co-founder and executive Yi He stated that recent rumors regarding one of its employees in France are circulating. The company has confirmed that the employee and their family are safe and is actively cooperating with law enforcement.Yi He mentioned that three individuals related to the incident have been arrested by the authorities, and the investigation is ongoing. Binance will continue to fully cooperate with the police. He also thanked the French BRB police (Criminal Investigation Division) for their swift action and emphasized that the safety of employees, users, and the community is the top priority, reminding the public to be vigilant against suspicious contacts and to verify information through trusted channels.

The head of Binance France was the victim of a home invasion robbery. It is reported that three masked assailants armed with weapons broke into an apartment building in the Val-de-Marne department of France that morning, attempting to locate the residence of the Binance France head. The assailants first forcibly entered another resident's home to obtain information about the target apartment, and then searched the cryptocurrency executive's residence. After discovering that the homeowner was not present, they stole two mobile phones and fled the scene.On the same morning, the three suspects attacked another resident in Vaucluse, mistakenly believing him to be another cryptocurrency entrepreneur. According to reports, the police tracked them down through surveillance and mobile phone signals, ultimately arresting the three suspects at Lyon Part-Dieu train station. They are currently in custody for investigation.