Poland Stands Alone: EU’s Only Country Without Crypto Rules After Failed Vote

Poland remains the sole EU member without a domestic framework for the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation after a December 5 parliamentary vote failed to override President Andrzej Duda’s veto. The vote fell 18 short of the required three-fifths majority, leaving the country isolated as MiCA took full effect across the bloc.

The deadlock reflects deepening political divisions between Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s pro-EU coalition and President Duda’s nationalist base. Tusk framed the Crypto-Asset Market Act as a national security imperative, citing alleged use of digital assets by Russian intelligence and organized crime. Duda rejected the bill as a threat to Polish freedoms, particularly opposing provisions granting regulators unilateral website-blocking powers.

Industry reaction remains divided. While some stakeholders seek regulatory clarity, others criticize the legislation’s complexity—spanning over 100 pages compared to leaner implementations in neighboring Czech Republic and Slovakia. The impasse creates uncertainty for market participants as Europe moves toward standardized crypto oversight.