- •The Polish president vetoed a wide-reaching crypto bill, citing threats to freedoms, innovation, and property rights.
- •Regulatory measures such as domain-blocking, heavy fees, and complexity sparked outrage among lawmakers and crypto firms.
- •The veto leaves the crypto market in limbo, just as EU-wide frameworks approach, highlighting tension between regulation and freedom in digital assets.
Poland’s president has delivered a surprise blow to crypto regulators by vetoing a sweeping bill meant to overhaul how crypto-assets are regulated. The veto came after he warned the legislation would threaten property rights, civil liberties, and could hinder innovation — a move that immediately sparked praise from the crypto community and harsh criticism from leading government figures. Legislators had approved the bill in June, but its fate now hangs uncertain as tensions between regulators and the executive deepen.
Veto Raises Political Heat and Regulatory Debate
The core of the bill’s controversy lay in provisions that would allow authorities to block websites operating in the crypto space easily. The president’s office argued that such domain-blocking laws are opaque and vulnerable to misuse — a risk unacceptable in a democratic society. He also criticized the bill’s complexity and heavy supervisory fees, warning that they would choke off startup activity and push innovation abroad to friendlier jurisdictions like Malta or Lithuania.
Reaction within Poland’s political class was swift and fiery. Finance Minister Andrzej Domański accused the president of “choosing chaos,” stating that existing market abuses are already costing clients heavily. Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski echoed the sentiment, arguing that by vetoing the bill, the president left citizens exposed to potential crypto-market losses and volatility. Meanwhile, advocates such as politician Tomasz Mentzen hailed the veto as a victory for regulatory sanity, citing excessive bureaucracy and the risk of overregulation undermining the sector.
The veto puts Poland’s crypto-asset market in limbo. Service providers will continue operating under a patchwork of existing regulations while lawmakers scramble either to adjust the bill or propose new reforms. With global frameworks like the EU’s forthcoming MiCA regulation already on the horizon, Poland may find itself out of sync unless a balanced, modern approach emerges soon.
For now, the decision underscores a broader tension faced by many governments around the world: how to regulate digital assets without stifling innovation or eroding individual freedoms. As the clash unfolds, the crypto community — both in Poland and beyond — watches closely to see whether this is a temporary reprieve or a fresh start toward more thoughtful regulation.