Setback for Crypto Regulation: Polish Lawmakers Fail to Override President’s Veto on Market Bill

Poland's crypto industry hits a regulatory wall—again.

Lawmakers couldn't muster the votes to push through a landmark crypto market bill, leaving the sector in a familiar state of limbo. The president's veto stands, blocking a framework that aimed to bring local exchanges and token issuers in line with broader European standards.

The Stalemate Explained

This wasn't just a procedural hiccup. Overriding a presidential veto requires a three-fifths majority in the lower house, a threshold the bill's supporters clearly missed. The failure leaves Poland without a dedicated national rulebook for digital assets, forcing businesses to navigate a patchwork of older financial laws and impending EU-wide regulations.

What's Left in Limbo?

Everything. The vetoed bill covered the basics: who can operate an exchange, custody rules for customer crypto, and disclosure requirements for new token sales. Its collapse means continued uncertainty for Polish crypto firms, which now operate in a gray zone—too regulated to be free, but not regulated enough to feel secure. Investors, meanwhile, are left with the classic 'buyer beware' mantra, a phrase that tends to make traditional finance guys smirk.

Looking Ahead: The MiCA Shadow

All eyes now turn to the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework. Its phased rollout starts next year, and it will eventually supersede national laws. For Poland, this legislative failure might just mean running out the clock. Local players could end up scrambling to comply with Brussels' rules instead of Warsaw's—another case of local politics being bypassed by a larger, unstoppable financial trend.

So, Poland's crypto scene remains in a holding pattern. The promise of clearer rules is deferred, replaced by the grinding reality of parliamentary math. It's a reminder that in the race to regulate the future of money, progress sometimes moves at the speed of a government vote—painfully slow, and all too easy to block.

Why Did The Polish President Veto The Digital Asset Bill?

On Friday, December 5, Bloomberg reported that the lower house of the Polish parliament couldn’t secure the required three-fifths majority vote to override the President’s veto of the Crypto-Asset Market Act. This bill, introduced in June 2025, aimed to align Poland with the European Union’s MiCA framework for the digital asset markets.

Related Reading: Key Updates On The US crypto market Structure Bill: What You Need To Know

However, President Nawrocki decided against signing the crypto market legislation due to concerns that it may pose a real threat to the freedom of Poles, their property, and the stability of the country. According to the country’s leader, “overregulation” is one way to drive away new companies and investors, while seriously slowing innovation.

As Bitcoinist earlier reported, the crypto community in Poland had already raised concerns about the regulation as early as September, especially as the bill surpassed the European Union (EU) minimum regulatory requirements. 

For instance, the bill’s messaging read that all Crypto Asset Service Providers are required to obtain a license from the Polish Financial Service Authority (KNF). Meanwhile, the bill proposed heavy fines and potential prison time for market participants who break the law.

According to the Bloomberg report, supporters of the bill have also voiced out the need to provide regulatory oversight of Poland’s digital assets industry. Their belief is that clear, comprehensive rules are critical to fight fraud and avoid potential misuse of digital assets by bad actors. 

Poland’s Presidency Calls Crypto Bill A Legal Fiasco

Rafael Leskiewicz, the press secretary of the President, took to the social media platform to react to the lawmakers’ failure to override the veto. The presidential spokesperson said the Crypto-Asset Market Act is a legal fiasco, while calling the attempt to overturn the president’s veto a political maneuver.

Leskiewicz said in a statement:

The President, by vetoing this act, exposed the low quality of the legislation being created. This market should be subject to monitoring and control, but certainly, bad law should not be created that restricts the freedom to conduct business activities.

President Nawrocki, who was elected earlier in June, had always portrayed himself as a pro-Bitcoin leader who WOULD rather veto regulatory restrictions than create new digital asset laws. According to market data, the adoption of crypto assets by Polish households has continued to grow in recent years, with the number of domestic users expected to hit 7.9 million by this year’s end.