Tensions rise as Poland crypto bill returns unchanged to parliament

Warsaw revives vetoed legislation without edits

Political frictions have intensified in Warsaw after the government resubmitted the previously vetoed Poland crypto bill to parliament without any textual changes.

The Polish government has reintroduced an 84-page draft law on digital assets that President Karol Nawrocki rejected only days earlier, rekindling a power struggle with Prime Minister Donald Tusk. However, the move also reopens a broader discussion on how Poland should create a bill to regulate crypto markets under European rules.

On Tuesday, the parliamentary group Polska2050, part of the ruling coalition in the Sejm, brought back the extensive bill soon after Nawrocki’s veto. Moreover, backers such as Adam Gomola describe the new proposal, known as Bill 2050, as an improved successor to the earlier Bill 1424, despite government spokesman Adam Szlapka insisting that “not even a comma” has changed.

Bill 2050 criticized as copy of vetoed draft

The updated bill once again designates the Polish Financial Supervision Authority as the main regulator for the country’s crypto asset market. That said, critics argue that this version simply mirrors the original legislative package and adds no meaningful refinements.

According to the text, the new proposal spans an 84-page-long document that essentially replicates Bill 1424. Crypto advocates claim the approach risks overburdening local firms, even as other EU member states pursue leaner frameworks.

Polish politician Tomasz Mentzen earlier slammed the original draft as “118 pages of overregulation,” contrasting it with shorter laws adopted in Hungary and Romania. Moreover, Mentzen wrote on social media that “the government has once again adopted exactly the same bill on cryptoassets,” underscoring deep opposition among parts of the political class.

He also mocked Donald Tusk for suggesting that the initial veto was linked to alleged influence from the “Russian mafia,” sarcastically declaring: “The bill is perfect, and anyone who thinks otherwise is funded by Putin.” However, these remarks highlight how the legislative process has become entwined with national security rhetoric.

Government spokesman Adam Szlapka has since indicated that President Nawrocki may allow the measure to pass this time. Following a classified security briefing in parliament last week, Szlapka claimed the president “now has full knowledge” of the bill’s implications, raising expectations of a different outcome.

MiCA rollout and the struggle over who supervises crypto

The standoff over the poland crypto bill unfolds as the European Union rolls out its Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), which must be fully implemented by July 2026. Moreover, the Polish debate is emerging as a test case for how national rules will interact with the EU-wide framework.

Under the current proposal, responsibility for supervising digital asset markets would sit with the Polish Financial Supervision Authority. However, that local approach contrasts with growing calls in parts of Europe for more centralized oversight under the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), headquartered in Paris.

In October, the Bank of France urged EU institutions to grant ESMA direct supervisory powers for crypto assets. The central bank warned that a fragmented model, built mainly around national authorities, could weaken the bloc’s financial sovereignty and reduce the effectiveness of MiCA.

Some jurisdictions have resisted this push for centralization. Regulators in Malta argue that transferring powers to ESMA risks layering additional supervision on top of existing systems, which might ultimately stifle innovation in Europe’s digital asset markets.

Domestic critics question need for local law

Within Poland, prominent economists have also raised doubts about the necessity of separate national legislation before MiCA fully applies. Notably, Krzysztof Piech, a well-known critic of the draft, has questioned why Poland needs its own extensive statute when EU protections will come into force in 2026.

Piech and other analysts contend that aligning directly and minimally with MiCA might better support market development. However, lawmakers backing Bill 2050 argue that a strong local framework is essential to manage risks tied to crypto trading and service providers.

Local media reports suggest that President Nawrocki may be reviewing more than one option. According to these accounts, his office has also been presented with an “alternative” draft designed to create more favorable conditions for the domestic crypto industry while still fitting into the EU’s regulatory structure.

This alternative proposal would reportedly remove direct oversight from the Polish financial regulator and more closely mirror the MiCA architecture. Moreover, supporters say such a redesign could ease compliance for firms operating across multiple EU states and limit overlap between Warsaw and Brussels.

Outlook for Poland’s crypto framework

The renewed legislative push leaves Poland at a crossroads between strong national control and deeper reliance on EU-level supervision. Whether Nawrocki signs Bill 2050, backs an alternative, or seeks further changes will shape how crypto businesses approach the Polish market in the run-up to July 2026.