France

Imagine: three armed men burst into your home and force you to transfer €900,000 in Bitcoin. This nightmare scenario became reality for a couple in Yvelines, France.

On April 15 and 16, 2026, Paris becomes once again the global capital of digital assets. Paris Blockchain Week sets up once more at the Carrousel du Louvre for two days of conferences, networking, and high-level institutional meetings. Good news: Cointribune readers benefit from an exclusive 15% discount on all…

The arrest of John Daghita in Saint-Martin brings a reality back to the center of the crypto debate. The risk does not only come from the blockchain, but also from the humans involved. The suspect, described by the FBI as a subcontractor connected to the U.S. government, is accused of embezzling more than 46 million dollars in crypto belonging to the US Marshals Service, the agency responsible notably for managing assets seized by the justice system. The arrest was carried out with the GIGN and the FBI, and the authorities say they seized cash, USB drives, and digital asset wallets.

Hafiz Huzefa Ismail, aka "Dark Bank", turned hundreds of millions of euros of dirty money into cryptocurrencies before being extradited to France. His sophisticated system involving traffickers and cybercriminals reveals the dangers of the crypto ecosystem.

Paris Blockchain Week returns on April 15 and 16, 2026 at the Carrousel du Louvre. For those who want to go beyond the simple access badge and sit at the same table as the decision-makers shaping the future of digital assets, there is only one pass to get: the VIP Max. A complete overview, with an exclusive 15% discount reserved for Cointribune readers.

On April 15 and 16, 2026, the Carrousel du Louvre will host the Paris Blockchain Week, an event that has become in a few editions the must-attend meeting where traditional finance and digital assets stop observing each other and finally start to dialogue. Far from crypto conferences focused on speculation and community narratives, PBW 2026 embodies a paradigm shift: financial institutions are no longer spectators, they become actors of the blockchain infrastructure. Analysis of an event that materializes the maturity of a sector.

Lagarde packing up? The ECB denies it, but the euro is already sweating. Macron wants to place his protégé. The Germans grit their teeth. Atmosphere in Frankfurt.

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.

Cryptocurrencies under close watch, the AMF gives an ultimatum to crypto companies: get MiCA approval or shut down. A headache for small players, a shock for the crypto-sphere.

The debate over online age verification intensified this week after Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov criticized Spain’s proposal to restrict social media access for users under 16. Spanish officials say the measure is designed to protect children online, but critics argue it could expand government surveillance and erode digital privacy. The plan has drawn particular concern from the public, who warn of broader consequences for anonymous communication online.

For years, blockchain conferences have been dominated by crypto-native narratives. Protocols talking to protocols, builders talking to builders. Paris Blockchain Week 2026 takes a different approach.

When Elon Musk's AI imagines itself as a scandal artist, French justice arrives. Grok draws too well... and especially where it shouldn't.

The security of crypto data falters once again. The French platform Waltio, specializing in tax declarations, was the victim of a massive leak of sensitive information. In response, an investigation was opened by the French authorities, mobilizing the National Gendarmerie. This incident rekindles concerns about the vulnerability of services related to cryptos, including those outside the blockchain. As the use of tax tools becomes widespread, users' trust is severely tested.

Panic in the crypto pot: MiCA is simmering fiercely, and even Binance is starting to sweat. Ten months before the verdict, Paris is finally lifting the regulatory lid.

France alerts: crypto companies ignore the MiCA regulation. Imminent shutdown? We tell you everything in this article.

The crypto sector, already weakened by tax issues and complex regulation, faces a new threat: the leak of sensitive data. An investigation in France reveals that a tax agent allegedly exposed private information about crypto owners. This revelation raises concerns about the security of tax data and the increased risk of physical attacks against investors. Such a scandal highlights the vulnerabilities of a system meant to protect citizens' confidentiality.

In Manosque, France, a woman experienced a true nightmare: kidnapped and assaulted at gunpoint for cryptos. This shocking news story reveals an alarming trend, criminals increasingly targeting holders of digital assets. Why this violence and how to protect yourself? The investigation and answers in this article.

Behind the new name The Bitcoin Society (TBSO), Eric Larchevêque orchestrates the transformation of a small listed Parisian company, Société de Tayninh, into a hybrid vehicle: both a "bitcoin treasury company" and a network company focused on individual financial sovereignty. In other words: a MicroStrategy the French way, but grafted onto an activist community.

While the ECB dreams of a well-behaved digital euro, a French crypto startup is spending £30 million to hack the bank... but with the regulator's approval. Hats off.

In Brussels, while some regulate AI to the point of suffocation, Paris and Berlin advocate for breathing space. Bureaucrats panic, startups suffocate, and innovation awaits an emergency exit.

Are cryptos on their way to becoming a burden for French investors? A recently adopted amendment in the National Assembly could change the game. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets would soon be taxed as "unproductive wealth," on the same level as yachts and hoarded gold.

What if the future of monetary reserves no longer relied on gold or fiat currencies, but on bitcoin? In France, a bill supported by the UDR party plans to create a national reserve of 420,000 BTC. A groundbreaking initiative which, although driven by a minority parliamentary group, challenges the foundations of monetary sovereignty. At a time when states are groping with cryptos, this project revives a major strategic debate.

Binance has just hit hard. More than 600 accounts have been closed for abusive exploitation of the Alpha platform via “bot farms”. The announcement dated October 19 targets actors who manipulated the rewards structure and falsified access to crypto token sales and airdrops. This assumed decision repositions the platform on a zero-tolerance line against predatory automation.

In Brussels, a subtle power struggle is shaping the future of crypto regulation in Europe. France, at the forefront, intends to influence the implementation of the MiCA regulation and establish itself as the center of gravity for platform oversight. While the Union enters a critical phase of harmonization, Paris toughens its rhetoric and actions towards industry giants. Binance, a flagship among targeted exchanges, becomes a symbol of a strategic showdown.

France is taking a major step in modernizing its financial markets with the launch of the Lightning Stock Exchange (Lise), a fully tokenized equity platform designed for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Backed by leading French banks and armed with a new regulatory license, Lise aims to bring blockchain efficiency to traditional stock listings and reshape how companies go public.

Éric Ciotti triggers a political bomb: what if France mined bitcoin with its nuclear energy? Between energy sovereignty and the battle against the United States, discover how BTC becomes the explosive issue of 2025 – and why it will change everything. #Bitcoin #France #BTC

The prospect of increasing the flat tax resurfaces in budget discussions. Ahead of the 2026 finance bill, Bercy would consider raising the single flat tax, set since 2018 at 30%. No decision has been made yet, but the return of this measure, long considered a fiscal marker of Macronism, is already causing tensions. In a context of structural deficit and revenue pressures, the stability of the savings tax framework could be called into question.

Strasbourg could soon become the first major French city to adopt a municipal crypto. What was yesterday reserved for Web3 activist circles is now entering the local public debate. The City Council has adopted an unprecedented motion: to study the feasibility of a local digital currency. The goal is to explore new economic, social, and technological avenues. An unprecedented initiative for a major French metropolis, which explores digital levers serving the local economy and citizen participation.