Crypto Bosses Now Top Kidnap Targets in Europe—Security Costs Spike Alongside BTC Prices

Europe’s crypto elite are trading Lambos for armored cars as kidnapping threats surge. Private security firms report 300% demand hikes—turns out flaunting digital wealth in bear markets has consequences.

High-profile execs at exchange giants and DeFi protocols now travel with ex-special forces details. ’It’s not FUD if the ransom demand is in Monero,’ quips one beleaguered blockchain CEO.

Law enforcement warns against paying ransoms in crypto (too traceable), while insurers quietly jack up premiums. Meanwhile in traditional finance, bankers smirk and adjust their analog wristwatches.

This heightened security posture follows a series of alarming events. In January 2025, David Balland, co-founder of hardware wallet provider Ledger, was kidnapped and held for ransom before being freed by police. A separate case in May 2024 saw the father of a crypto entrepreneur abducted and reportedly mutilated while being held in a Paris suburb — a horrifying detail that mirrors other known cases.

Most recently, on May 13, the family of Pierre Noizat, CEO of crypto exchange Paymium, narrowly escaped an attempted kidnapping in broad daylight. Masked attackers assaulted Noizat’s daughter and grandson on the street, trying to force them into a van. They managed to resist with the help of a passerby, and the assailants fled.

The brazen nature of these incidents has prompted France’s interior minister, Bruno Retailleau, to engage directly with crypto industry leaders. A roundtable has been proposed to address ongoing security threats and develop a coordinated response strategy to protect individuals most at risk.

As cryptocurrency wealth becomes more visible, so too does its vulnerability. For many in the industry, security is no longer optional — it’s essential.