David Prinçay, the chief executive of Binance France, was the target of a failed home invasion near Paris on February 12, according to reports from the French outlet RTL. Three masked individuals reportedly forced their way into a residential building in Val-de-Marne during the early hours of the morning. However, the suspects initially entered the wrong apartment before locating Prinçay’s residence. Prinçay was not present at his home during the incident, but the group managed to take two mobile phones before leaving the building.

Police suspect that the same individuals carried out a second attempted break-in later that same morning in Vaucresson, located west of Paris. During this second incident, a resident was reportedly assaulted, and it also appears that the suspects targeted an incorrect address. French authorities quickly launched an investigation, utilizing surveillance footage to track the suspects' movements and tracing the stolen mobile devices.

Investigators successfully followed the group as they traveled by train towards Lyon. Later that day, officers from the Lyon BRI apprehended the three men at Lyon Perrache station. They were subsequently taken into custody as the police continue their investigation. This complex case required extensive coordination among several specialized units, including Paris’s anti-banditry brigade, departments in Hauts-de-Seine, Val-de-Marne, Yvelines, and various transport police services.

This incident has heightened concerns regarding the increasing number of attacks targeting cryptocurrency figures in France. The country has witnessed a rise in what are known as “wrench attacks,” where criminals employ threats or violence to gain access to victims' digital assets. While authorities have not disclosed further details concerning potential motives or specific connections, Binance has not yet issued a public statement regarding the attempted break-in.

Over the past year and continuing into 2025, there have been numerous reports of kidnappings, ransom demands, and home invasions specifically targeting crypto holders and entrepreneurs globally. For instance, in a notable case last year, a man in Hong Kong received a seven-year prison sentence in Canada for his involvement in a violent and sexually abusive home invasion that resulted in the theft of $1.6 million in Bitcoin from a family in British Columbia.

The incident also brings to light Binance’s historically complex relationship with the French government. French authorities have previously investigated Binance for alleged money laundering, tax fraud, and operating without proper registration before receiving its official approval in May 2022. The probe into Binance intensified in early 2025, focusing on suspected deficiencies in its anti-money laundering controls and the