Report from the IX Crypto MeetUp at Oldham Polish Catholic Centre.

IMLOVINGCRYPTO
Feb 8
4 min read

Report from the 9th Crypto MeetUp at Oldham Polish Catholic Centre

On February 7th, 2026, the Oldham Polish Catholic Centre in Greater Manchester hosted the 9th edition of the Crypto MeetUp – a recurring event bringing together members of the Polish community interested in blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies, and modern finance. The event was organised by Mariusz Fultyn, widely known in the crypto space as ImLovingCrypto, and once again confirmed the growing importance of such initiatives among the Polish diaspora in the UK.

The meeting officially began at 2:00 PM with a welcome address, followed by the presentation of sponsors and partners, including Optima Creative Ltd (accounting office), Tangem (crypto wallet), Next Block Expo, CryptoSphere, Polskie Tygrysy, and Marcin Sakowski. Media partners for the event were Radio Polonia FM and the Polish community portal Manchesterowcy, highlighting the event’s strong connection with local Polish media.

The agenda featured five presentations, each addressing a different aspect of finance, technology, and investment. The first speaker was Adam Targos, CEO and founder of the Trading Battles platform. In his talk, he focused on the position of Poles on the global cryptocurrency market. He emphasized that Polish investors and developers play a significant role internationally, showing strong engagement and innovation within the crypto sector. However, he also pointed out that Poland is losing part of this potential due to a lack of clear regulations and limited involvement of large domestic capital. According to Targos, government barriers continue to slow down the development of an industry with enormous growth potential. As part of his session, a virtual trading competition was organised, adding an element of interaction and friendly competition among participants.

The second presentation was delivered by Arkadiusz Budnik and focused on financial planning and private pension funds in the UK. This part of the meeting was dedicated to long-term wealth building and tax optimisation. Budnik presented a simulation showing the power of compound interest and tax reliefs, comparing pension fund investing (with an average annual growth of 9% plus employer contributions) to standard savings accounts offering around 4% net return. Over a 40-year period, the difference in accumulated wealth could exceed £3.9 million in favour of pension funds. He also highlighted the importance of employer contributions, noting that some companies, such as Unilever, Aviva, or AstraZeneca, offer pension top-ups of up to 25%. Beyond numbers, the speaker stressed that successful investing requires not only knowledge, but also discipline, patience, risk tolerance, and trust in financial institutions.

After a lunch break, the third speaker, Marcin Lewandowski from Relocatify, took the stage. His presentation went beyond cryptocurrencies, focusing on Cambodia as an attractive destination for living and doing business. Lewandowski introduced the Bakong banking system – a modern digital payment infrastructure that significantly simplifies everyday transactions. He also discussed the benefits of opening offshore accounts in Cambodia for individuals seeking geographical diversification. The presentation combined practical financial insights with a lifestyle perspective, showing Cambodia as a country with a warm climate, modern banking solutions, and significantly lower living costs.

The fourth presentation was delivered by Marcin Całka, founder of PMC Protects, well known within the Polish community in the UK. His talk focused on diversifying crypto assets into real estate investments in the United Kingdom. According to Całka, purchasing property using cryptocurrencies is becoming an increasingly popular trend, with strong growth expected in 2026–2027. He explained that, thanks to new legal frameworks and growing acceptance by banks, the purchase process typically takes 4–6 weeks, compared to 8–12 weeks in traditional transactions. Key advantages include transaction speed, lower costs due to fewer intermediaries, and the removal of geographical barriers for international buyers. Transactions are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and secured through mechanisms such as smart contracts. Market forecasts suggest that by the end of 2026, the value of UK real estate purchased with crypto could reach £8 billion, with over 200 developers accepting such payments. Real-life examples included the purchase of an apartment in Manchester for 8.5 BTC and a commercial building in Birmingham for 180 ETH.

The final presentation was delivered by the event organiser, Mariusz Fultyn, who addressed the major regulatory changes introduced on January 1st, 2026, in the UK and across Europe. He discussed the implementation of the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), which imposes new reporting obligations on exchanges, brokers, and custodial wallets. Under the new rules, detailed user data – including personal details, transaction history, balances, and wallet transfers – will be reported to HMRC. Cryptocurrencies are now clearly classified as taxable assets: trading falls under Capital Gains Tax, while staking, yield farming, and airdrops are treated as income. Mining may be considered either a hobby or a business, depending on scale. Fultyn emphasized that the era of anonymity in crypto is effectively over, and investors must ensure proper record-keeping and compliance, as penalties for errors or missing data can reach £300. While regulations increase barriers for smaller crypto projects due to costly licences and strict oversight, they also contribute to greater market stability and wider adoption.

Following the official programme, participants moved to an adjacent hall where informal discussions and networking took place, allowing attendees to exchange experiences, build relationships, and continue conversations sparked during the presentations.

Summary

The 9th Crypto MeetUp at the Oldham Polish Catholic Centre proved once again to be a valuable platform for education, discussion, and networking within the Polish community in the UK. By combining cryptocurrency topics with broader themes such as pensions, global relocation, real estate, and regulation, the event offered a comprehensive and forward-looking perspective on modern finance. The strong attendance and high level of engagement suggest that future editions of the Crypto MeetUp will continue to grow in both scale and influence.

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UPCOMING CRYPTO & WEB3 EVENTS:

X Edition Crypto MeetUp

📍 Bedford, United Kingdom

🗓 April 26, 2026

🗣 Language: Polish

Stay tuned:

https://www.imlovingcrypto.com/event