Poland's Sejm Passes Sanctions Bill Allowing Authorities to Freeze Crypto Assets

Poland’s lower house of parliament passed a government-backed sanctions bill on Friday that grants authorities explicit statutory powers to freeze crypto assets ¹. The Act on Restrictive Measures cleared the Sejm by a 240-to-202 vote with one abstention, before lawmakers transmitted the text to the Senate on Monday ¹.

The draft law incorporates the definition of crypto assets set under the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework into Poland's enforcement mechanisms ¹. Under the proposed statute, the interior minister will manage the national sanctions register ¹. Designations take legal effect the day after official publication, and authorities may freeze targeted funds immediately, even if affected parties contest the sanctions in administrative court ¹.

Broadened Sanctions Scope

The legislative push expands a 2022 legal framework originally enacted to penalize entities supporting Russia's war against Ukraine ¹. Under the updated provisions, Polish authorities can also level national sanctions against foreign interference and information manipulation deemed to threaten state security ¹. Similar measures targeting illicit transactions reflect an ongoing shift toward comprehensive enforcement mechanisms, as explored in sanctions compliance across digital assets.

The Senate holds a 30-day window to approve, amend, or reject the legislation ¹. Under Poland’s constitution, if the upper house takes no action within that timeframe, the bill automatically passes in the form approved by the Sejm and moves to the president for final signature ¹. At the time of writing, major crypto markets traded lower, with $BTC priced at $73,892 and $ETH at $2,071.