Is crypto legal in Poland? Rules & regulation (2026)
Crypto is developing in Poland.
Crypto is legal in Poland, but the country is in a regulatory limbo: the EU's MiCA regulation applies directly, yet Poland remains the only EU member state without a national law empowering its competent authority (KNF) to license MiCA Crypto-Asset Service Providers. President Nawrocki vetoed the Crypto-Assets Market Act for the third time on 11 June 2026, citing excessive KNF powers; meanwhile the EU-wide MiCA transitional grandfathering for existing VASPs expires on 1 July 2026, creating an imminent licensing-gap crisis. In the interim, crypto firms operate under the legacy AML VASP register and pay a 19% PIT flat tax on disposals (PIT-38).
Legal framework
EU MiCA (Regulation 2023/1114) applies directly as EU law; national Crypto-Assets Market Act (Sejm print 2363) operationalizing KNF as competent authority has been vetoed three times by President Nawrocki (Dec 2025, Feb 2026, Jun 2026) and is NOT in force. Existing operators rely on the AML/CTF Act Virtual Currency Activities Register kept by the Tax Administration Chamber in Katowice. Crypto income is taxed under Art. 30b of the Polish PIT Act (19% flat).
Status by sub-area
Stablecoins
PartialMiCA Titles III (ARTs) and IV (EMTs) apply directly in Poland since 30 June 2024, but the national act needed to fully empower KNF to authorize Polish issuers has not entered into force. Authorization, reserve-backing, redemption-at-par and prohibition of interest derive from MiCA itself; Polish-specific procedural rules await the vetoed Crypto-Assets Market Act.
Still pending: Crypto-Assets Market Act (vetoed) required to empower KNF for stablecoin issuer authorization
Exchanges / VASP
PartialExchanges currently operate under the legacy VASP register at the Tax Administration Chamber in Katowice (AML/CTF Act). MiCA CASP licensing applies EU-wide from 30 Dec 2024, but Polish CASP applications cannot yet be fully processed because the national act vesting KNF with licensing powers has been vetoed three times.
Still pending: National act to vest KNF CASP licensing powers (vetoed 3x; Polish applications blocked)
Token Offerings
PartialPublic offers of crypto-assets other than ARTs/EMTs are governed directly by MiCA Title II: a compliant whitepaper must be notified to the competent authority before public offering or admission to trading. Security tokens fall under Polish/EU securities-prospectus law administered by KNF. Procedural rules for the MiCA whitepaper notification in Poland depend on the unfinished national act.
Still pending: MiCA whitepaper-notification procedures for Poland (pending national act)
Custody
PartialMiCA's custody rules apply directly: CASPs providing custody must segregate client crypto-assets, keep accurate records, are liable for loss of assets, and must clearly disclose any third-party sub-custody. Polish-specific supervisory and proof-of-reserves procedures depend on the pending national act.
Still pending: Polish supervisory and proof-of-reserves procedures for CASP custody (pending national act)
DeFi
UnclearMiCA's recital 22 excludes fully decentralized crypto-asset services from scope; in practice ESMA has signalled that most DeFi front-ends or governance structures with an identifiable controller likely fall in scope. Poland has issued no DeFi-specific national guidance, and no public KNF enforcement actions specifically targeting DeFi protocols have been reported.
Still pending: DeFi scope clarification and national guidance (ESMA controller-based analysis)
Tax
In forceCrypto disposals are taxed under Art. 30b of the Polish Personal Income Tax Act at a 19% flat rate; only disposal into fiat, goods or services is taxable, while crypto-to-crypto swaps are explicitly non-taxable. Taxpayers report on form PIT-38 by 30 April; losses carry forward. EU DAC8 reporting obligations are being transposed for crypto-asset service providers.
How to get a crypto license in Poland
To provide crypto-asset services in Poland you need a MiCA CASP authorisation (Crypto-Asset Service Provider), supervised by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF), under the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), Title V.
- Authority
- the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF)
- License required
- a MiCA CASP authorisation (Crypto-Asset Service Provider)
- Framework / law
- the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), Title V
- Minimum capital
- €50,000–€150,000 minimum, by service class (Class 1/2/3)
- Timeline
- about 40 working days of substantive review; 1–3 months for a well-prepared application
- Cost
- an application fee of roughly €5,000–€25,000, plus ongoing supervisory fees
- Passporting
- Yes: a single MiCA CASP licence passports across all 27 EU member states.
What a crypto license in Poland covers
- Custody and administration of crypto-assets for clients
- Operating a trading platform for crypto-assets
- Exchanging crypto-assets for funds, or for other crypto-assets
- Executing orders for crypto-assets on behalf of clients
- Reception and transmission of orders, and placing of crypto-assets
- Advice and portfolio management on crypto-assets
- Transfer services for crypto-assets on behalf of clients
Step by step: getting a crypto license in Poland
Incorporate a legal entity with a registered office in the member state, with at least one director resident in the EU.
Build the application file: programme of operations, business plan, governance, AML/CFT, ICT resilience and client-asset segregation.
Submit the application to the national competent authority.
Completeness check: the authority has 25 working days to confirm the file is complete and request anything missing.
Substantive assessment: the authority has 40 working days to grant or refuse the authorisation.
Once authorised, notify the passport to the host member states you intend to serve, then begin operating across the EU.
Documents required in Poland
- Programme of operations describing each crypto-asset service you will provide
- Business plan with three-year financial projections
- Evidence of prudential safeguards (own funds or qualifying insurance)
- Governance arrangements, organisational chart and internal-control description
- AML/CFT policies and the appointment of a compliance officer
- ICT security, business-continuity and DORA-aligned resilience policies
- Custody and client-asset segregation arrangements
- Complaints-handling procedure and conflict-of-interest policy
- Fit-and-proper evidence for directors and qualifying shareholders (CVs, criminal-record certificates)
Ongoing obligations in Poland
- Maintain prudential safeguards and own funds at or above the class minimum
- Keep client crypto-assets segregated from the firm's own assets
- Run continuous AML/CFT monitoring, screening and suspicious-activity reporting
- Keep marketing communications fair, clear and not misleading
- Operate complaints handling and manage conflicts of interest
- Meet ICT resilience and incident-reporting duties under DORA
- File periodic reports to the national competent authority
Key points: crypto & digital assets in Poland
MiCA applies, national act blocked
EU Regulation 2023/1114 (MiCA) has applied EU-wide since 30 Dec 2024 for CASPs and 30 Jun 2024 for stablecoins, including in Poland. The Polish implementing statute that designates KNF as competent authority and opens CASP applications was passed by the Sejm but vetoed three times by the President, most recently on 11 June 2026.
KNF is the designated competent authority
The Komisja Nadzoru Finansowego (KNF) is intended to be the supervisor for MiCA in Poland, replacing the basic AML-register model with a full licensing regime including fines up to PLN 10 million and powers to block websites, but these powers depend on the unfinished national act.
Legacy VASP register until 1 July 2026
Existing crypto firms register with the Virtual Currency Activities Register kept by the Tax Administration Chamber in Katowice under the AML/CTF Act. MiCA's grandfathering clause lets pre-30 Dec 2024 VASPs continue until 1 July 2026 or until a MiCA licence is granted/refused.
Tax: 19% flat on disposals (PIT-38)
Under the Polish PIT Act, income from the sale of virtual currencies for fiat, goods or services is taxed at a 19% flat rate (Art. 30b) and reported annually on form PIT-38 by 30 April. Crypto-to-crypto swaps are explicitly non-taxable, and losses can be carried forward.
DAC8 reporting incoming
Political deadlock, not policy reversal
The veto stems from disagreement over the scope of KNF's investigative powers and consumer-protection guarantees, not opposition to crypto regulation itself; the president has indicated he would sign a version with stronger judicial oversight, shorter account-freeze periods and expanded state liability.
Crypto license in Poland: FAQ
Do you need a license to run a crypto business in Poland?
Yes. To provide crypto-asset services in Poland you need a MiCA CASP authorisation (Crypto-Asset Service Provider), supervised by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF), under the EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), Title V.
Which authority issues crypto licenses in Poland?
The Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF).
How much does a crypto license cost in Poland?
An application fee of roughly €5,000–€25,000, plus ongoing supervisory fees.
How long does it take to get a crypto license in Poland?
Typically about 40 working days of substantive review; 1–3 months for a well-prepared application.
What documents do you need for a crypto license in Poland?
The application file centres on programme of operations describing each crypto-asset service you will provide; business plan with three-year financial projections; evidence of prudential safeguards (own funds or qualifying insurance); governance arrangements, organisational chart and internal-control description; plus fit-and-proper evidence for directors and qualifying shareholders.
What is the application process for a crypto license in Poland?
Incorporate a legal entity with a registered office in the member state, with at least one director resident in the EU. Build the application file: programme of operations, business plan, governance, AML/CFT, ICT resilience and client-asset segregation. The authority then assesses the file and, once authorised, you can begin operating.
Does a Poland crypto license work in other EU/EEA countries?
Yes: a single MiCA CASP licence passports across all 27 EU member states.
Timeline of decisions
- Decision
- Decision
- LawSejm Passes Third Crypto-Asset Market Bill (241-200 Vote)
Poland's lower house fast-tracked and passed a revised Crypto-Assets Market Act by 241 votes to 200, designating KNF as the national competent authority and aligning with MiCA's CASP licensing regime. The bill heads to the Senate and then to a president who has twice vetoed near-identical legislation, with the EU's July 1, 2026 MiCA transitional deadline looming.
Cryptopolitan
- DecisionPresident Nawrocki Issues Second Veto on MiCA-Alignment Bill (Bill 2064)
President Karol Nawrocki vetoed a second, nearly identical version of the Crypto-Assets Market Act, citing unchanged objections about KNF's power to impose fines up to PLN 10 million, order domain shutdowns, and expose executives to criminal liability. Poland became the sole EU member state without MiCA-transposing national legislation, forcing domestic crypto firms to consider relocating.
CoinGeek
- LawSejm Re-Approves Crypto Bill After Failed Veto Override
After falling 18 votes short of the three-fifths supermajority needed to override the December 1 presidential veto, Poland's Sejm re-passed the Crypto-Asset Market Act unchanged and sent it to the Senate; the bill was then slightly revised and resubmitted to the President, setting up a second veto in February 2026.
CoinDesk
- DecisionPresident Nawrocki Vetoes First Crypto-Asset Market Act (Bill 1424)
President Nawrocki vetoed Poland's first comprehensive crypto-market law, describing it as a 'real threat to freedoms and state stability,' and objecting to provisions granting KNF powers to block domains and levy heavy fines on smaller firms, an approach he argued went beyond what most EU states adopted. The veto triggered a political stalemate that left Poland unprepared for MiCA's full application days later.
Notes From Poland
- Guidance · officialRevised draft Polish Crypto-Assets Market Act (MiCA transposition) published
The Polish government published a new version of the draft Act on the Crypto-Assets Market via fintech.gov.pl to anchor EU MiCA into domestic law, specifying KNF licensing procedures, capital requirements, and conduct rules for crypto-asset service providers, this bill subsequently became the version vetoed in December 2025.
fintech.gov.pl (Polish Government Fintech Portal)
- Enforcement · officialKNF Adds Crypto.com Operator (Foris DAX MT) to Public Warning List
The Polish Financial Supervision Authority placed Foris DAX MT, the Malta-incorporated entity behind Crypto.com, on its official public warning list for alleged unauthorized provision of financial services in Poland, referring the matter to the Warsaw regional prosecutor. The action, taken under Art. 178 of the Financial Instruments Trading Act, demonstrated KNF's willingness to use existing enforcement tools against major platforms even without a crypto-specific licensing regime.
KNF (Polish Financial Supervision Authority)
- Guidance · officialTransition Deadline: Pre-Existing Virtual Currency Businesses Must Complete VASP Registration
Entities that had been operating virtual currency services before October 31, 2021 were required by law to complete registration in the Virtual Currency Activities Register (maintained by the Director of the Tax Administration Chamber in Katowice) by April 30, 2022. Non-registration exposed operators to criminal penalties, closing the regulatory gap for legacy market participants.
Ministry of Finance of Poland
- LawPIT Act Amendment: 19% Flat Tax on Crypto Gains; Crypto-to-Crypto Swaps Declared Tax-Neutral
The Act of 23 October 2018 amending the Personal Income Tax Act took effect, classifying proceeds from disposal of virtual currency as 'income from monetary capital' subject to a flat 19% rate, declared annually via the new PIT-38 form. Critically, exchanging one cryptocurrency for another was legislated as tax-neutral; only conversion to fiat currency or goods/services triggers a taxable event, resolving years of conflicting tax authority guidance.
MDDP Tax Advisory (citing Act of 23 October 2018)
Sources
- kancelaria-skarbiec.pl/en/crypto-asset-market-act/
- kancelaria-skarbiec.pl/en/crypto-assests/
- cryptotimes.io/2026/06/12/poland-president-vetoes-crypto-bill-for-third-time-trigger
- notesfrompoland.com/2025/12/01/polish-president-vetoes-law-regulating-crypto-assets-marke
- cryptopolitan.com/poland-crypto-regulation-vetoed-third-time/
- coingeek.com/poland-crypto-sector-in-limbo-as-leader-vetoes-mica-bill-anew/
- ccn.com/education/crypto/poland-bill-1424-crypto-law-vs-mica/
- kancelaria-skarbiec.pl/en/mandatory-casp-licensing-for-crypto-asset-service-providers-under-
- switalski.law/polish-vasp-wind-down/
- dudkowiak.com/fintech-in-poland/casp-license-in-poland/
- koinly.io/guides/crypto-tax-poland/
- taxes-crypto.eu/en/crypto-tax/polska/complete-guide
- mexc.com/learn/article/poland-crypto-tax-guide-2026-taxable-events-pit-38-form
- switalski.law/mica-regulation-in-poland-impact-on-stablecoins-issuers-and-crypto-ex
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Next topicOrientation, not legal advice: verify against the primary sources linked above. Last verified 15 Jun 2026. Methodology & how to cite · State of Technology Regulation 2026