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Hungary Ends Crypto Prison Sentences After EU Intervention
Hungary's new government scraps jail sentences for crypto transactions after EU intervention, ending a 2025 crackdown that drove platforms like Revolut out of the market and hit hundreds of thousands of users.
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Hungary's new government is dropping jail penalties for cryptocurrency transactions after European Union regulators pushed back against the 2025 framework. The reversal follows the April 2026 election, which ended Viktor Orbán's tenure and brought in a Tisza Party-led coalition that wants closer ties with Brussels.
The 2025 rules made crypto trading a criminal offense for certain volumes. Traders had to get compliance certificates from licensed validation entities before any transaction, fiat-to-crypto or peer-to-peer, could go through. Validation checks covered asset provenance and wallet authentication. Missing certification exposed traders and operators to prison time, with higher transaction values drawing stiffer sentences.
The regime hit the market fast. Revolut stopped offering crypto services inside Hungary, the company confirmed. Several other platforms cut back or left altogether. Trading volumes dropped sharply after July 2025, when the law took effect. The government's own data showed the crackdown affected several hundred thousand individuals, according to Anita Köböl, a representative of the new administration.