Poland Delays MiCA-Inspired Cryptocurrency Regulations After Lawmakers Are Unable to Overturn Presidential Veto

Poland’s attempts to align its cryptocurrency market with the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets framework have encountered a significant political obstacle after legislators were unable to overturn a presidential veto on a comprehensive digital-asset bill.

This situation leaves Poland as the sole EU member lacking a national MiCA-style regulatory framework.

A report from Bloomberg indicates that the vote took place in the lower house of parliament on Friday, failing to achieve the three-fifths majority necessary to counter President Karol Nawrocki’s rejection of the legislation.

This result halts Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s initiative to impose stringent regulatory measures on Poland’s crypto sector and compels the government to restart the legislative process entirely.

Tusk Identifies Crypto as a National Security Concern Amid Claims of Russian Sabotage

In the days leading up to the vote, Tusk characterized the bill as a measure for national security.

While addressing parliament, he stated that the unregulated cryptocurrency market had become a channel for money laundering and foreign interference, including activities associated with Russia and Belarus.

He informed lawmakers that Polish authorities had detected “several hundred” foreign entities operating within the domestic crypto market and cautioned that Russian intelligence and organized crime groups were utilizing digital assets for clandestine financing.

Government officials have linked these concerns to recent security incidents.

Last month, Warsaw accused Russia of a blast on a crucial railway route used for supply transport to Ukraine, a claim that Moscow has denied.

Polish security services have also reported instances of underground groups allegedly compensated in cryptocurrencies to conduct sabotage operations within the country.

A Polish security official stated that Russia is using cryptocurrencies to compensate saboteurs executing hybrid attacks throughout the European Union. #Russia #Crypto https://t.co/MsOjIZjSfu

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) October 14, 2025

The veto has intensified an already significant political clash between Nawrocki, a nationalist conservative, and Tusk’s pro-European coalition.

The president rejected the bill earlier this month, contending that it exceeded EU requirements and posed risks to civil liberties, property rights, and state stability.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki vetoed a comprehensive crypto law, stating it jeopardizes property rights and personal freedoms. #Crypto #Regulation https://t.co/BXYSh74MPF

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) December 2, 2025

The stalled legislation would have established MiCA-style regulations in Poland, introducing licensing for crypto-asset service providers, investor protection standards, stablecoin reserve requirements, market abuse prohibitions, and stringent anti-money laundering measures.

It also suggested empowering authorities to block crypto-related websites through administrative orders, a clause the president deemed unclear and susceptible to misuse.

Political Tensions Escalate Following Poland’s Block on Comprehensive Crypto Oversight Bill

Nawrocki further criticized the extensive nature of the bill, which surpassed 100 pages, contrasting it with much shorter implementing laws in neighboring Czechia and Slovakia.

He cautioned that high supervisory fees and additional domestic restrictions would compel Polish crypto firms to register in other EU nations, resulting in a loss of tax revenue and talent for Poland.

His chief of staff, Zbigniew Bogucki, stated on Friday that the president is receptive to regulation as long as future proposals are not overly restrictive.

The inability to override the veto leaves crypto companies operating in Poland without a definitive national legal framework ahead of the EU’s July 1, 2026, MiCA compliance deadline.

The political conflict has increasingly involved industry stakeholders.

Nawrocki has positioned himself as a supporter of the crypto sector and received endorsement prior to his election from Kristi Noem, a senior U.S. official, at a conference in southeastern Poland sponsored by trading platform Zondacrypto.

Poland has elected Karol Nawrocki, a conservative who asserts that crypto should be “born in freedom, not buried in red tape.” #poland #crypto https://t.co/BVJXhQBnrK

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) June 2, 2025

The exchange later clarified that it does not accept Russian clients and fully adheres to anti-money laundering regulations.

Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski added another layer to the dispute on Friday, stating on radio RMF FM that the crypto industry supports figures across the right wing of Polish politics, explaining the strong opposition to tighter regulation.

The veto follows months of upheaval regarding crypto regulation in Poland. In September, lawmakers had initially approved the bill, prompting significant backlash from industry leaders who cautioned that Poland’s version of MiCA represented overregulation.

Zondacrypto’s chief executive at the time described it as a “step backwards” that risked criminalizing essential blockchain development activities.

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