Poland Fails to Override Crypto Bill Veto Amid Zondacrypto Scandal

Poland’s lawmakers have again fallen short of the supermajority required to overturn President Karol Nawrocki’s veto of a bill intended to tighten crypto oversight. On Friday, the Sejm voted 241-198 to override the veto, but with three abstentions the measure missed the 266 votes needed by 25—marking yet another failed push to set a national framework for applying the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA).

The renewed vote comes as Poland grapples with fallout from the Zondacrypto scandal. The case has widened amid bankruptcy proceedings against Zondacrypto’s Estonian operator and references by Prime Minister Donald Tusk to testimony alleging improper attempts to influence political figures.

Key takeaways

• The Sejm’s override attempt failed 25 votes short of the 266 needed for passage, leaving Nawrocki’s veto in place.
• The bill would have assigned crypto market supervision to Poland’s Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) as MiCA applies across the EU.
• KNF has said Poland still lacks a designated authority responsible for supervising cryptoassets, despite MiCA already taking effect in the EU.
• Meanwhile, prosecutors are investigating alleged fraud and money laundering tied to Zondacrypto, with losses previously estimated at no less than 350 million PLN.
• Zondacrypto’s operator, BB Trade Estonia, was declared bankrupt by an Estonian court, according to the public notice released in August.