Given the recent surge in kidnapping and ransom cases worldwide, particularly in France, executives in the cryptocurrency industry are enhancing their security measures and increasingly seeking the services of bodyguards. These incidents have predominantly targeted cryptocurrency investors and professionals.
In a report by Bloomberg, it’s noted that Infinite Risks International, an Amsterdam-based private security firm, is witnessing a rise in inquiries for bodyguard services, with a growing number of long-term clients enlisting private security details.
Following three distinct kidnapping occurrences in 2025, French law enforcement has announced intensified security protocols for cryptocurrency entrepreneurs and investors. These protocols include security briefings and immediate access to police assistance in emergencies for the entrepreneurs and their families.
French authorities have also counseled cryptocurrency investors to avoid showcasing their wealth or wearing cryptocurrency-themed apparel to reduce their chances of becoming targets. The unsettling series of events underscores the importance of proactive safety measures and vigilance for cryptocurrency investors and industry professionals.
In January 2025, David Balland, the co-founder of hardware wallet company Ledger, was kidnapped and held for ransom for several days before being rescued by French police. A year prior, in May 2024, the father of an anonymous crypto entrepreneur was released from a ransom attempt after French law enforcement stormed the Paris suburb location where the individual was held captive by organized criminals.
According to Le Parisien, the suspects had mutilated one of the victim’s fingers, a chilling similarity to other crypto-related kidnapping cases in France. On May 13, Pierre Noizat’s family, the co-founder and CEO of French crypto exchange Paymium, was targeted in an attempted kidnapping. Masked attackers assaulted the family on the street and tried to force Noizat’s daughter and grandson into a van in broad daylight. Thanks to the efforts of the daughter and a passerby, the assailants were repelled, and the kidnapping attempt was thwarted.
The brazen and public nature of the crime sent shockwaves through the cryptocurrency community. Bruno Retailleau, the French interior minister, consequently arranged a meeting with industry executives to address the incidents and propose improved security measures for high-risk cryptocurrency professionals and affluent investors.
