Crypto Executives Turn to Bodyguards Amid Rising Wave of Kidnappings in France
Private Security Firms See Surge in Demand as Attacks Target High-Profile Industry Figures
PARIS — With kidnappings and violent ransom attempts rattling the cryptocurrency industry, executives are now ramping up personal security, seeking professional bodyguards and private protection services at unprecedented levels.
A report from Bloomberg reveals that Infinite Risks International, a private security company based in Amsterdam, is receiving an influx of inquiries from crypto professionals worldwide — with many opting for long-term protection contracts.
This sharp rise in demand follows a disturbing pattern of kidnappings and mutilation attempts in France, a growing hot spot for these brutal crimes. French authorities are now taking the situation seriously, providing enhanced protection measures for individuals in the sector, including emergency police access and personal safety briefings.
According to law enforcement, at least three separate kidnapping attempts have been recorded in France in 2025 alone. The pattern is not only disturbing — it’s growing bolder.
In January 2025, David Balland, co-founder of hardware wallet company Ledger, was kidnapped and held for ransom for several days before a successful police rescue.
The violence escalated in May 2024, when the father of an unnamed crypto entrepreneur was abducted and physically mutilated in a Paris suburb — his finger severed to send a message. French police later rescued the victim after raiding the kidnappers’ hideout.
Shortly afterward, on May 13, 2025, the family of Pierre Noizat, co-founder and CEO of the French crypto exchange Paymium, faced a broad daylight abduction attempt. Several masked men assaulted Noizat’s daughter and grandson on the street, attempting to shove them into a van.
Fortunately, the family — with the help of a pedestrian — fought back, and the attackers fled.
Masked assailants attempt to abduct the family of Pierre Noizat, co-founder of French crypto exchange Paymium. Source: Le Figaro
Authorities Urge Crypto Professionals to Avoid Public Exposure
In response to the attacks, French officials have urged crypto entrepreneurs and investors to minimize public exposure. That includes avoiding crypto-branded clothing or overt displays of wealth, which could make them targets for organized criminal gangs increasingly aware of the industry’s lucrative nature.
Bruno Retailleau, France’s interior minister, met with industry leaders following the attacks, stressing the urgent need for better personal safety infrastructure across the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
The crypto sector, known for its libertarian ethos and decentralized wealth storage, is now being forced to confront a new reality: physical security risks are growing just as fast as digital threats.
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