Crypto: Three people arrested after an attack targeting a Binance France executive

The French subsidiary of the cryptocurrency exchange platform Binance confirmed on Thursday that one of its employees was the victim of a burglary at his home. Law enforcement arrested three suspects. This case is part of an unprecedented wave of attacks targeting the crypto sector in France.

A morning intrusion that ends quickly

Thursday around 7 a.m., three masked and armed individuals broke into a building in Val-de-Marne. Their goal was clear: to target a manager of the French subsidiary of Binance. 

However, the criminals targeted the wrong apartment. After forcing a resident’s door, they forced him to lead them to the correct home. Once there, the burglars searched the apartment and stole two mobile phones before fleeing.

The case could have stopped there. Yet, two hours later, the three suspects attempted a second burglary in Hauts-de-Seine. This time, alert neighbors notified the authorities. 

The Brigade for the Suppression of Banditry intervened swiftly and made the arrests. Investigators recovered the stolen phones and a vehicle that established the link between the two cases.

A Binance spokesperson confirmed the incident to several media outlets while refusing to reveal the identity of the targeted employee. 

“We were informed of a burglary at the home of one of our employees. An investigation is ongoing with the local police“, the company stated. 

Yi He, co-founder and head of customer service at Binance, reassured that the employee and his family are “safe and sound” and cooperating with law enforcement. She praised the responsiveness of the BRB.

France, European epicenter of crypto attacks

This burglary is not an isolated case. It is part of an alarming trend that has hit France since 2025. According to cybersecurity platform CertiK, physical attacks against crypto investors surged 75% this year. 

These “wrench attacks,” as experts call them, have caused at least $40.9 million in confirmed losses worldwide.

France holds a grim record: 19 confirmed incidents in 2025, making it the most affected country worldwide. Europe accounts for about 40% of all these attacks. 

Days before the attack on the Binance employee, French authorities arrested six people suspected of kidnapping a magistrate and her mother in a crypto ransom case.

Experts point to massive data leaks from certain crypto sector providers. These breaches allow criminals to obtain names, addresses, and phone numbers of their targets. 

The arrest of the three suspects is good news and shows police efficiency, but how many remain free? With 11 attacks since January 2026, France has become the global epicenter of crypto kidnappings. The government must strike hard with exemplary sentences to break this criminal cycle.