NFT Paris and RWA Paris 2026 have been officially canceled on January 5, 2026, citing global cryptocurrency market collapse and unsustainable costs. However, the recent surge in cryptocurrency-related violent incidents has added to the unease surrounding this announcement.
In France, over 20 cases of kidnappings and violent incidents targeting cryptocurrency industry professionals and their families have been reported since January 2025. This has led to widespread anxiety across the French Web3 community.
French cryptocurrency community...spread of violence
Only four kidnapping attempts occurred within the first four days of January 2026, prompting urgent warnings from industry professionals.
This situation has also raised concerns about the safety of digital asset holders in France, with recent reported incidents including the following.
January 6, 2026: A woman was forcibly detained at her home in Manosque, Provence-Alpes-Cรดte d'Azur, by attackers targeting cryptocurrency assets owned by her partner.
January 6, 2026: Manosque incident (theft of cryptocurrency USB) โ According to another report, armed robbers wearing masks bound the woman and stole a USB containing cryptocurrency keys.
January 9, 2026: An engineer was kidnapped from his home in Saint-Georges-sur-Loire, Eure-et-Loir.
January 9, 2026: In Bรฉrigny-sur-Senonnes, Eure-et-Loir, a cryptocurrency investor and his family were bound and assaulted at their home.
Sponsors of the NFT Paris event expressed dissatisfaction with non-refundable costs, with some reporting significant financial losses due to the sudden cancellation.
"This is the real reason NFT Paris was canceled." โ Art market analyst Artemort
Art market analysts, citing reports from the cryptocurrency-specific media outlet BeInCrypto, highlighted a grim timeline of incidents that have persisted for over a year.
French authorities have intermittently thwarted kidnapping attempts. Police rescued a Swiss cryptocurrency expert from Valence and simultaneously arrested several suspects during coordinated raids.
Despite these achievements, many perpetrators remain unarrested, revealing the ongoing security threats facing the French cryptocurrency industry.
Insider Parok warned that government employees had provided taxpayer information to the criminal organization 'Sponsor,' making cryptocurrency holders targets.
"Four kidnapping attempts occurred within four days in France, following the revelation that government employees had handed over cryptocurrency taxpayer information to 'Sponsor.' If you hold cryptocurrency, file tax reports, and reside in France, please exercise extreme caution." โ Parok
The data breach has heightened concerns about France's anti-money laundering (AML) regulations and mandatory cryptocurrency reporting requirements.
Security experts advise using pseudonyms, minimizing online exposure, and avoiding disclosure of wallet information to reduce personal risks.
NFT Paris cancellationโฆhighlighting industry challenges
The NFT Paris organizing committee announced the cancellation of the event in January 2026, citing market collapse and high costs, and promised refunds for all tickets.
Sponsors voiced complaints about non-refundable costs and emphasized the significant financial burden caused by the sudden cancellation.
"I also received this email as a sponsor. The email stated, 'Due to clause 12 of the contract, refundable costs resulting from the event exceed the total sponsorship amount, making refunds difficult at this stage.' I left a Telegram message at the number provided in the text to discuss further." โ A user
Officially, economic factors were emphasized, but insiders within the industry recognize that the worsening security issues within the cryptocurrency community likely influenced the cancellation decision.
The ongoing kidnapping incidents reveal the vulnerabilities faced by professionals in the French cryptocurrency industry and the persistent challenges in protecting both personal and digital assets.
While authorities strengthen protective measures and investigate criminal organizations, the French Web3 industry finds itself in a dangerous environment marked by market pressures and physical threats.
