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Polish lawmakers secured a decisive victory on Friday during the 57th sitting of the Sejm in Warsaw, approving a government-backed legislative framework to integrate the national crypto market into the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). The vote concluded a contentious legislative cycle with a 241–200 decision, marking the third successful attempt by the administration to pass the measure after President Karol Nawrocki twice vetoed earlier iterations. Official parliamentary records confirm that the approved legislation, designated as bill No. 2529, was championed by the Ministry of Finance and establishes the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) as the primary regulator with expanded powers to oversee market participants, impose administrative sanctions, and temporarily block accounts and transactions. This outcome reflects a strategic pivot by the legislature to prioritize the state-backed proposal over three competing draft bills that had previously fragmented the debate.
The legislative process involved a complex consolidation of four distinct proposals following the president's initial vetoes. Parliament's final vote relied on a committee text that merged the government's bill No. 2529 with competing drafts from the president (No. 2528), the Confederation party (No. 2530), and a separate parliamentary initiative (No. 2363). Data compiled by Woofun AI indicates that despite this consolidation, the opposition Law and Justice party (PiS) maintained a hardline stance by submitting a separate draft bill advocating for a complete ban on all crypto-asset activity within Poland. The final text retained the core enforcement mechanisms of the government's original proposal, effectively sidelining the more restrictive or divergent approaches offered by other political factions.
Market participants and crypto commentators reacted with skepticism to the Sejm's latest decision, anticipating that the legislative deadlock may persist if President Nawrocki exercises his veto power again. Critics argue that repeated parliamentary approvals have failed to resolve fundamental disputes regarding the scope of supervisory powers and enforcement mechanisms under the KNF. Woofun AI notes that specific concerns remain regarding provisions allowing for account and domain blocking, which observers claim remain largely unchanged despite earlier presidential objections.
Furthermore, proposed safeguards intended to strengthen judicial oversight were excluded from the final text, leading to fears that the regulatory framework lacks necessary checks and balances.
The urgency of this legislative push is compounded by the looming implementation deadlines for the EU's MiCA framework in July, which threaten to prolong regulatory uncertainty if a domestic law is not finalized. The debate has been further intensified by the deepening scandal surrounding Zondacrypto, a platform where prosecutors have launched a fraud probe after thousands of users reportedly became unable to withdraw funds. This incident has permeated Polish politics, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk alleging links between Zondacrypto and Russian capital and influence, citing the platform's early history and its subsequent development under new ownership. Tusk argued that the absence of a comprehensive investor protection framework has historically delayed regulatory action, contributing to Poland's repeated delays in aligning with EU standards.
Woofun AI analysis suggests that the intersection of the Zondacrypto fraud case and the legislative stalemate creates a precarious environment for the Polish crypto sector. The government's insistence on granting the KNF broad blocking powers appears directly influenced by the need to address immediate financial crimes, yet this approach risks alienating the broader market if judicial oversight is not strengthened. As the country races to meet the July MiCA compliance window, the potential for another presidential veto remains a significant variable that could disrupt the alignment process. The outcome of this standoff will likely define the trajectory of Poland's digital asset regulation and its integration into the broader European financial architecture.