Poland’s Crypto Bill Fails Again as Parliament Can’t Override Presidential Veto
What Happened to Poland’s Crypto-Asset Market Act?
Poland’s lower house failed to gather the three-fifths majority needed to overturn President Karol Nawrocki’s veto of the Crypto-Asset Market Act, forcing lawmakers to rebegin the country’s regulatory process from scratch. The bill, backed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government, was designed to bring Poland into line with the European Union’s MiCA framework and close gaps in oversight that officials say have become harder to ignore.
The legislation was introduced in June and cleared several stages before reaching the president’s desk. Nawrocki rejected it last week, claiming it would “threaten the freedoms of Poles, their property, and the stability of the state.” With the veto upheld, the government now loses its quickest path toward MiCA alignment.
As Bloomberg reported, the failure to advance the bill leaves without a clear regulatory timetable at a moment when EU member states are preparing to enforce uniform standards for crypto markets across the bloc.
Investor Takeaway
Why Did the Bill Split Lawmakers and the Crypto Industry?
Government officials pitched the proposal as a security and consumer-protection measure, arguing that clear rules would assist curb fraud and limit the risk of crypto misuse by foreign actors, including Russia. Supporters said the absence of regulation creates growing blind spots in the country’s financial system.
Industry groups pushed back. Several argued that the draft rules went too far, warning that strict licensing demands, high compliance costs and criminal penalties for mistakes by company executives could push beginups out of Poland. Crypto firms said the bill did not distinguish between small service providers and large institutions, creating a one-size-fits-all regime that smaller companies would struggle to meet.
Some lawmakers also raised concerns about the bill’s scope and the pace at which it was drafted, calling for a sluggisher process and broader consultation with local businesses.
How Does the Veto Impact Poland’s MiCA Alignment?
MiCA sets the EU’s licensing and oversight framework for , including rules around custody, transparency, reserves and consumer protections. Countries across the EU have been updating their laws to match the framework before enforcement ramps up.
With the veto standing, Poland remains without a pathway for issuing licences or supervising platforms under a MiCA-compatible structure. The government must now draft a new bill — a process likely to take months — and re-run it through committee stages, parliamentary votes and presidential review.
The delay leaves service providers operating in a grey zone. Companies that want to secure long-term access to the EU market may choose to move parts of their operations to other jurisdictions that have already passed domestic MiCA legislation.
Investor Takeaway
Crypto Adoption Keeps Rising Despite the Policy Freeze
While lawmakers debate regulatory structure, crypto usage in Poland continues to climb. Chainalysis recently identified Poland as one of Europe’s , with more than 50% year-over-year growth in transaction volumes across the country.
Between July 2024 and June 2025, Poland ranked eighth in Europe in total cryptocurrency value received. Much of this activity comes from retail users, who are increasingly using and transfers and showing stronger engagement with BTC.
BTC ATM installations have also surged. In January, Cointelegraph reported that Poland had ATM hub, overtaking El Salvador despite the latter’s national adoption efforts. The expansion reflects growing retail interest and a favourable environment for operators, even without clear national rules for digital-asset oversight.
What Happens Next?
The government must return to the drafting stage and produce a new proposal that can withstand political resistance and industry pressure while complying with EU law. The next version of the bill is expected to revisit licensing thresholds, compliance costs and penalties — areas that drew the strongest objections.
Until then, Poland remains an outlier within the EU: a country with expanding on-chain activity but no comprehensive regulatory framework. Whether lawmakers can bridge the divide between security concerns and industry demands will determine how rapidly the next draft moves through parliament.
