In Poland’s political landscape, where tensions between the government and the head of state have reached a peak, President Karol Nawrocki’s decision to veto the crypto-assets market act has become the spark that ignited a powder keg. On Monday, 1 December 2025, Nawrocki refused to sign the bill, which was meant to implement the EU’s MiCA regulation (Markets in Crypto-Assets). He argued that the law threatens civil liberties by allowing the government to „block crypto companies’ websites with one click.” This veto, the 17th in just 120 days of his presidency, has caused a storm: Donald Tusk’s government accuses him of lobbying, the opposition applauds, and the crypto industry wavers between relief and concern about legal chaos. In this heated debate, a fragment of the discussion on Kanał Zero drew particular attention, where a viewer shared a personal trauma from the unregulated market.
Record vetoes: the president as „guardian of freedom” or „source of chaos”?
Karol Nawrocki, elected in the 2025 presidential election with the support of nearly 11 million votes, does not hide his reformist ambitions. Within four months he has blocked 17 laws, outpacing his predecessor Andrzej Duda (19 vetoes in 10 years). Alongside crypto-assets, the list includes bills on national parks, dog chains and aid for Ukrainians. The presidential spokesperson Rafał Leśkiewicz stressed: „We use the veto only when laws threaten freedoms, property and the stability of the state.” The government is hitting back hard: Prime Minister Tusk called the decision „indefensible,” and Finance Minister Adam Domański warned of a „crypto scandal” that exposes millions of investors to risk.
The opposition, including PiS and Konfederacja, is celebrating. Sławomir Mentzen of Konfederacja wrote on X: „President Nawrocki has vetoed a law that would destroy the Polish crypto market! This is an excellent decision„. According to critics of the bill, the law was too restrictive: it gave the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF) excessive powers, including blocking websites without a court ruling. The industry, represented by the Polish Chamber of Blockchain and New Technologies, welcomes the veto with relief, but experts warn that the delay in implementing MiCA (already over 11 months) may prompt firms to move their licences abroad, handing control of a market worth 20 billion dollars to other EU countries.
Debate on Kanał Zero: politicians versus reality
On Tuesday, 3 December 2025, Kanał Zero, the flagship project of Krzysztof Stanowski, known for its uncompromising debates, devoted its evening broadcast to Nawrocki’s vetoes. The discussion, hosted by Joanna Pinkwart, brought together representatives of all sides at a round table: Patryk Jaskulski (KO), Paweł Jabłoński (PiS), Michał Gramatyka (Polska 2050), Przemysław Wipler (Konfederacja) and Paulina Piechna-Więckiewicz (Lewica).
The guests divided like a kaleidoscope of polarization. Jaskulski thundered about a „president of chaos” carrying out „Kaczyński’s mission” against Tusk. Jabłoński defended him: „The president vetoes stupid laws and proposes better ones. He has 13 legislative initiatives to his name!” Gramatyka called for consultations, Wipler mocked the „patronizing” government, and Piechna-Więckiewicz saw the vetoes as an attempt to undermine the constitution. The debate, broadcast live, attracted tens of thousands of viewers, highlighting how crypto, once a niche topic, has become a political battlefield.
„Interesting viewer call”: trauma from the unregulated market
The climax of the evening was a call from a viewer that shocked the studio. The man, identifying himself as a crypto industry investor, shared his personal story:
„Because of the lack of regulation, I lost one of the biggest crypto companies in Poland. This is no coincidence. The unregulated segment is a paradise for fraudsters„.
He described how bitcoin ATMs (automated Bitcoin machines) are mainly used for money laundering and transactions on the dark web:
„85% of their use is for bad things. I have seen suicides, exit scams and illegal casinos„.
He called for the immediate implementation of the law:
„The veto blocks development, and we are losing billions. Regulation is protection, not censorship”.
The studio’s reaction was electrifying. Pinkwart asked for details, highlighting the contrast with the industry’s enthusiasts of the veto. Wipler, the libertarian voice of Konfederacja, nodded in understanding: „This proves that without oversight, the market becomes the Wild West„. Jaskulski seized the moment to attack: „The president vetoes protection for people like you!” Jabłoński countered that the president’s alternative bill would better balance innovation with security. The call, lasting just under 6 minutes, went viral: a post on X from @OficjalneZero gathered over 40 thousand views, sparking a wave of comments ranging from sarcasm („Let’s ban parcel lockers, because scammers send bricks!”) to serious analysis („Crypto isn’t anonymous, but we won’t catch fraudsters without regulation anyway”).
What next for Polish crypto?
Nawrocki’s veto prolongs the deadlock: without the law, Poland will not implement MiCA by June 2026, risking EU penalties and capital outflows. Tusk’s government is considering resubmitting the bill to the Sejm.
