Key Takeaways
- Nawrocki vetoed the Crypto-Asset Market Act after concluding that the measure went well beyond responsible oversight
- The bill, introduced in June, was designed to impose an expansive supervisory regime on crypto businesses operating in Poland.
In a move that could have wider ramifications for the crypto space in the country, Poland’s president, Karol Nawrocki, has rejected a far-reaching proposal to regulate the country’s digital-asset industry, halting a legislative push that had alarmed crypto advocates and triggered political friction inside the government.
Nawrocki vetoed the Crypto-Asset Market Act after concluding that the measure went well beyond responsible oversight. In a statement released by the president’s office, he warned that the legislation “genuinely threaten the freedoms of Poles, their property, and the stability of the state.”
The bill, introduced in June, was designed to impose an expansive supervisory regime on crypto businesses operating in Poland. But the scope of the proposal — particularly its provision allowing authorities to block crypto-related websites with minimal procedural hurdles — drew immediate backlash. Critics argued that the measure would open the door to censorship, undermine market access for domestic firms, and tilt the playing field toward large foreign providers.
One of the bill’s most contentious mechanisms was the domain-blocking authority. The president’s office underscored those concerns directly: “Domain blocking laws are opaque and can lead to abuse,” the statement said, adding that the bill’s structure raised serious civil-liberty and due-process questions.
The proposal also faced criticism for its sheer scale. According to Nawrocki’s office, the bill’s length and complexity would have resulted in “overregulation,” especially when contrasted with the comparatively streamlined approaches taken by nearby countries such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary.
Polish politician Tomasz Mentzen, one of the earliest and most vocal opponents of the act, predicted the president’s intervention as the bill advanced through parliament. Industry advocates echoed that sentiment, calling the veto a necessary safeguard for local startups that feared being squeezed out by heavier compliance costs and rigid operational mandates.
While the crypto sector celebrated the move as a victory for innovation and economic freedom, the decision triggered condemnation from parts of the governing coalition. Several officials accused Nawrocki of undermining regulatory stability, saying he had “chosen chaos” and warning that he must now take full responsibility for the fallout.
For now, the veto leaves Poland without the stricter framework lawmakers sought, and throws the country’s next steps on crypto oversight into uncertainty. Whether parliament will attempt to revise the bill or push for an override remains unclear.
