Tomasz Mentzen on the regulation of cryptocurrencies under MiCA

Editorial Context — October 12, 2026: The interview below reflects the interviewee’s original views. MiCA is an EU regulation; the substantive provisions have been in effect since December 30, 2024. The assessments cited do not supersede current legal requirements. Source: ESMA.

"Nothing good will come of it" - Tomasz Mentzen on regulation of cryptocurrencies by MiCA

Interview from Crypto Community Conference in Lodz, Poland.

We present the first of the interviews recorded during the Crypto Community Conference in Łódź, which took place on February 1. Tomasz Mentzen —a politician and expert actively involved in the blockchain industry—visited the Bitomat.com booth.

Is MiCA killing cryptocurrencies in the EU?

The main focus of our conversation revolved around the ongoing regulation of the cryptocurrency market in Europe. The Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) legislation is forcing entities in this sector to take significant steps backward in order to comply with the regulation of the European Parliament and the Council.

My interlocutor is a staunch opponent of any regulation in new technology markets, which he explained in detail to our camera.

Regulation vs. innovation - a post by Tomasz Mentzen

"Nothing good will come out of this in terms of regulation. Cryptocurrencies, their essence, is freedom. It's the creation of new values, new projects. Nothing new will be created by regulation. Regulation is the negation of innovation."
- Tomasz Mentzen

Are cryptocurrencies in Europe doomed to failure?

Despite the gloomy mood among cryptocurrency enthusiasts as a response to the new regulations, however, we cannot break our hands and burn candles over the European market for digital assets.

"It is known, it is a constant battle. Hardcore, hardcore communists will try to prevent this from happening. They hate freedom, they hate privacy, right down to the marrow of their bones. It's our job as the cryptocurrency community, since we live in Europe, to try to defend ourselves in some way against these actions."
- Tomasz Mentzen

How to protect financial freedom?

The terms of the transaction, including identification requirements, are determined by the relevant operator in accordance with the law and a risk assessment. This conversation should not be construed as instructions for conducting an exchange without documentation. Bitomat.com is an aggregator of location information, not an operator of the facilities.

Bitcoin - the undisputed market leader

Tomasz Mentzen also shared his thoughts on bitcoin and other digital assets.

📌 Why is BTC the king of cryptocurrencies that no altcoin will ever match?
📌 What does the market need altcoins for, and why is it worth keeping an eye on them?

🔗 That's what you'll find out in the episode below: