Polish lawmakers fail to override veto of crypto asset bill, EU alignment holds

Lawmakers fell short in the Sejm override vote, leaving the presidential veto in place and the bill dormant. The proposal, introduced in June and passed by parliament earlier in the year, sought to establish licensing, conduct and supervision rules for digital‑asset service providers in line with the EU’s Markets in Crypto‑Assets regime.

Ahead of the vote, Tusk told deputies that adopting the law was a matter of national security and that it would give authorities tools to police an unregulated market. He said criminal networks and foreign services have exploited gaps in oversight and cited activity linked to entities from Russia and Belarus.

The president’s office has argued the legislation was overly complex and risked curbing civil and property rights. Nawrocki previously raised concerns about provisions enabling website blocking and about supervisory fees he said could disadvantage startups while favoring larger foreign firms. His chief of staff, Zbigniew Bogucki, said the presidency remains open to regulation if redrafted measures avoid excessive restrictions.

Poland is now the only EU member state without domestic implementing rules corresponding to MiCA’s core requirements, leaving some crypto businesses in regulatory limbo. Recent government statements have highlighted security concerns around digital‑asset flows. Authorities last month blamed Russia for a blast on a rail corridor to Ukraine, and security services this week referred to a clandestine group allegedly paid in cryptocurrencies.

Local industry participants continue to emphasize compliance with sanctions and anti‑money‑laundering obligations. Zondacrypto, a major regional platform incorporated in Estonia, said on Thursday that it does not accept Russian clients and that it sponsors events to widen public discussion on regulation.

With the override attempt unsuccessful, the government must decide whether to introduce a revised bill or pursue narrower measures. Any new proposal would have to pass both chambers and secure the president’s signature to become law.

As GNcrypto reported on December 2, 2025, President Karol Nawrocki vetoed the Crypto‑Asset Market Act, arguing it overregulated the sector, enabled website blocking, and imposed supervisory fees that could disadvantage startups and threaten rights. Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski and Deputy Prime Minister Radoslaw Sikorski criticized the decision as creating market disorder and leaving clients exposed, while industry voices noted that the EU’s Markets in Crypto‑Assets framework will extend investor protections across the bloc by July 1, 2026.