Poland’s President Vetoes Crypto Bill, Sparking Major Political Clash

Poland’s crypto industry just hit a regulatory wall—hard. The president’s veto torpedoes a landmark digital assets framework, throwing the nation’s blockchain ambitions into chaos and igniting a fierce political firestorm.

The Veto That Shook Warsaw

No one saw this coming. The proposed legislation aimed to carve out clear rules for crypto exchanges and custodians, a move hailed by local startups as essential for competing in the EU. Instead, the presidential pen delivered a stunning rejection, citing vague concerns over consumer protection and financial stability. Critics call it a thinly veiled power grab—a classic move by traditional finance gatekeepers feeling the heat from decentralized upstarts.

Political Fallout and Industry Whiplash

The veto doesn’t just delay regulation; it fractures the political consensus. Pro-crypto lawmakers are lashing out, accusing the administration of stifling innovation and caving to banking lobby pressure. Meanwhile, exchanges operating in a legal gray zone face renewed uncertainty. For Polish crypto firms, it’s back to navigating a regulatory Wild West—just as neighboring countries ramp up their own digital asset frameworks to attract talent and capital.

What’s Next for Polish Crypto?

Expect a brutal legislative tug-of-war. The bill can return to parliament, but overriding a veto requires a supermajority—a tall order in a divided government. In the meantime, Polish traders and builders are left in limbo, watching rivals in Berlin and Prague sprint ahead with clearer rules. Some may simply pack up and leave, taking jobs and innovation with them.

It’s a stark reminder: in the race to define the future of money, politics can be a heavier drag than any bear market. And as usual, the old guard would rather fight change than understand it—especially when their monopoly on moving digits around is at stake.

Poland is facing a heated political clash after President Karol Nawrocki refused to approve a major crypto regulation bill, triggering celebrations in the digital asset community and sharp criticism within the government. The announcement, made Monday, quickly became one of the year’s most divisive policy moments.

President Calls Bill a “Dangerous Overreach”

The rejected proposal, known as the Crypto-Asset Market Act, aimed to introduce some of the toughest crypto rules in the region. But Nawrocki said the legislation went too far, warning it could threaten personal freedoms and destabilize Poland’s financial system. His office described the bill as “a real threat to civic rights, property autonomy, and institutional balance.”

One of the biggest concerns was a clause that allowed authorities to quickly block websites linked to digital asset services. The president’s team criticized the provision as vague, easily misused, and open to arbitrary censorship.

Nawrocki also pointed to the bill’s overwhelming complexity. At several hundred pages, critics said it was far more complicated than the rules in nearby countries such as Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. He warned that such heavy-handed regulation WOULD push Polish crypto innovators to friendlier markets like Lithuania or Malta.

Innovation vs. Restriction

The president further objected to what he called “punitive” supervisory fees, arguing they would harm Polish crypto startups and give foreign banks and large corporations an unfair advantage. He insisted the law could undermine Poland’s tech competitiveness at a critical moment for the industry.

Crypto industry leaders welcomed the veto, saying Nawrocki stopped rules that could have slowed the domestic market and stifled innovation.

Government Fires Back: “This Is Chaos”

The decision sparked an immediate backlash. Finance Minister Andrzej Domański accused the president of choosing “chaos over accountability,” arguing that weak oversight already leaves many Poles vulnerable to fraud. He warned that Nawrocki must “bear the consequences” of blocking stronger protections.

Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski added that the bill was designed to safeguard citizens. If market turmoil occurs, he said, “Poles will know exactly where to point the finger.”

Peter Boris also criticized the veto, noting that Poland is now the only EU country without proper protections against crypto fraud. He compared the situation to the past SKOKi scandal and stressed that the bill would have placed the crypto sector under the supervision of Poland’s financial regulator oversight now missing.

Meanwhile, economists noted that the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) will introduce bloc-wide investor safeguards by mid-2026, which they believe should ease regulatory pressure on Poland for now.