I am delighted to share two pieces of news that matter a great deal to me as a crypto lawyer in Poland. First, I have been nominated as Vice President of the Polish Chapter of the Association for Women in Cryptocurrency. Second, I have been recommended as a crypto lawyer by Januar, one of Europe’s crypto-native financial institutions. Different in nature, but both reflect the same idea: this industry grows best when expertise and community grow together.
Crypto Lawyer Poland: Vice President of the AWIC Polish Chapter
What is AWIC?
The Association for Women in Cryptocurrency (AWIC) is a global platform for education, networking and advocacy for women and supportive allies in cryptocurrency, digital assets, blockchain, Web3 and related technologies. Its stated aim is to advance opportunities for women and to strengthen their role in the future of digital finance. It operates through local chapters in key hubs, and the Polish Chapter is one of the newest.
AWIC is not only a networking association. Among other things, it:
- runs the global #UnmanelYourPanel campaign, launched on International Women’s Day 2024 to push conferences towards more balanced speaker line-ups
- maintains a Speaker Directory that helps event organisers find qualified women speakers in crypto and digital assets
- publishes research and advocacy on inclusion in the industry, including its State of Inclusion Report
- hosts the Women in Crypto podcast and a regular programme of events and webinars
Why the Polish Chapter, and why now
The Polish Chapter was introduced to the community at the AWIC x Bitcoin Poland networking event at the Poznań Congress Center, where the Chapter Board was presented together with the first look at what is planned for the community in the coming months and into 2027.
Poland is a very large crypto market in terms of users, builders and professional service providers, and one with a distinctive regulatory story: the national framework supplementing MiCA is still being finalised, as I describe in What Happens to Polish VASPs After MiCA?. A period of regulatory change is exactly when a professional community — one that shares knowledge, speaks at events and gives newcomers a way in — is most useful.
Recommended as a Crypto Lawyer in Poland by Januar
Who is Januar?
Januar is a crypto-native financial institution regulated in Denmark. According to its website, it holds a payment institution licence under PSD2 and a CASP licence under MiCA, and can operate across the European Economic Area under the EU passport. It offers business IBAN accounts, embedded accounts and crypto trade and custody services designed for crypto businesses.
What is the Legal Partners directory?
Januar maintains a Legal Partners directory: a curated list of legal professionals and law firms across Europe that are experienced with crypto regulation and have been referred by Januar’s customers as experts. Januar notes that it works with these partners through knowledge sharing, webinars and mutual referrals.
I am honoured that techlawyer.pl is listed in the directory as a crypto-experienced law firm for Poland. A referral from customers who operate regulated crypto infrastructure every day means a lot — crypto businesses tend to choose legal advisers on the strength of recommendations from peers and partners, not on marketing.
What This Means for Crypto Businesses Looking at Poland
If you are building or running a crypto business and considering Poland, these two developments translate into practical value:
- Regulatory expertise: advice on MiCA classification, CASP authorisation and the current Polish transition situation. See What Does KNF Actually Look at in a CASP Application? and CASP as a Service Under MiCA
- Banking and payments context: crypto businesses depend on regulated banking and payment partners, and the legal structure of those relationships — including PSD2/PSD3 and AML requirements — needs to be designed together with the crypto licensing strategy
- A network: through my work with AWIC, AIJA and other international bodies, I can connect businesses with the right people in the Polish and European ecosystem
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Association for Women in Cryptocurrency (AWIC)?
AWIC is a global professional network of women and male allies who want to make the crypto, blockchain and Web3 industries more inclusive. It offers education, networking and advocacy, and operates through regional chapters, including a Polish Chapter.
Can men join AWIC?
AWIC describes itself as a platform for women and supportive allies, so allies are welcome. Membership details are available on the AWIC membership page.
What is Januar’s Legal Partners directory?
It is a list of crypto-experienced law firms and lawyers across Europe, compiled by Januar from referrals by its customers. It is designed to help crypto businesses find legal advisers who understand crypto regulation in their country.
How do I find a crypto lawyer in Poland?
Look for demonstrable experience with MiCA, KNF proceedings and AML/CFT for crypto businesses, check independent rankings and peer or customer referrals, and make sure the adviser can cover licensing, AML and operational regulation (including DORA) together rather than only one of them.
Does the Polish Chapter of AWIC give legal or investment advice?
No. AWIC states that it does not provide investment, tax or legal advice; its focus is education, networking and advocacy.
Get in Touch
If you are a crypto or fintech business planning to operate in Poland — or you would like to get involved with the AWIC Polish Chapter — get in touch. To learn more about the association, visit womenincrypto.org.
Katarzyna Szczudlik is a Partner at Schoenherr in Warsaw and a crypto lawyer in Poland, ranked by Chambers & Partners and Legal 500. She advises crypto-asset businesses, payment institutions and fintech companies on MiCA, KNF authorisation and regulatory compliance in Poland and the EU, and serves as Vice President of the Polish Chapter of the Association for Women in Cryptocurrency. Get in touch.
