Hackers extort French crypto firm Waltio after stealing user data

Hackers have targeted Waltio, a French cryptocurrency accounting platform, demanding a ransom after stealing emails and tax reports from 50,000 customers. The company reported the incident on January 21, 2026, stating that no passwords or highly sensitive data were compromised. French authorities are now investigating the sophisticated cyberattack.

On January 21, 2026, Waltio, a platform that helps users calculate and report digital asset capital gains for tax purposes, became the target of an attempted extortion following a sophisticated cyberattack. The company disclosed that hackers accessed certain internal data, including customer emails and gains and losses from 2024 tax reports, affecting around 50,000 users according to French daily Le Parisien.

Waltio's CEO, Pierre Morizot, emphasized in a statement that the breach did not involve passwords or other critical customer information. However, he warned of potential follow-up risks, such as phishing or social engineering scams. “Some attackers may use contextual elements (e.g. the existence of a tax report or aggregated information) to appear credible,” Morizot said, highlighting how cybercriminals might impersonate trusted contacts to extract wallet keys or other details to steal funds.

The company promptly filed a complaint with French authorities for attempted extortion and violation of an automated data processing system. The cybercrime unit of France’s public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into the incident.

Bitcoin developer Jameson Lopp drew attention to the breach on X (formerly Twitter), calling it “more terrible news for French cryptocurrency users.” This event adds to a string of high-profile crypto-related crimes in France, including the 2025 kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland and his wife, who were held for 24 hours.

Waltio advised customers to remain vigilant against unsolicited communications that could lead to further exploitation.

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