Poland's President Karol Nawrocki has vetoed a second legislative bill designed to align the country's cryptocurrency regulations with the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). This action, taken in mid-February 2026, marks the second time the president has blocked such legislation, having previously rejected a similar measure in December 2025.
In a statement from his office, President Nawrocki described the latest proposal, Bill 2064, as "practically identical" to the previously rejected Bill 1424. He firmly stated, "I will not sign a wrong law just because it was passed again by the parliamentary majority. A wrong law that passed a hundred times still remains a wrong law." He added that "Poland should attract innovation, not push it away."
The veto leaves Poland without a designated competent authority to oversee the crypto market under MiCA rules, a gap highlighted by the country's Financial Supervision Authority (KNF). This creates a critical problem as the EU-wide transition deadline of July 1, 2026 approaches, when full compliance with MiCA becomes mandatory across the bloc.
The absence of domestic implementing legislation creates an uneven playing field. Foreign crypto platforms that secure a MiCA license in another EU member state can operate in Poland using passporting rights. However, Polish companies currently have no formal domestic path to begin the licensing process. Sławek Zawadzki, co-CEO of Kanga Exchange, warned this results in "regulatory asymmetry," putting local firms at a disadvantage.
In response, some Polish companies are already pursuing alternative strategies. Zonda Crypto, a major local exchange, has been operating from abroad for years and is actively seeking a MiCA license in another EU jurisdiction with plans to passport it back into Poland. CEO Przemysław Kral noted that while larger firms can manage this friction, "many small Polish crypto companies will lose the opportunity to operate on the market." This regulatory delay is expected to accelerate consolidation in Poland's crypto sector.
Following the veto, economist Krzysztof Piech indicated he is preparing a revised, more crypto-friendly proposal to implement MiCA in Poland. Overcoming a presidential veto requires a three-fifths majority in parliament, a significant political hurdle. With the July 2026 deadline looming, Poland faces a choice: pass revised legislation swiftly or risk prolonged uncertainty and a potential exodus of its domestic crypto industry.
