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Solana Becomes Official Presenting Sponsor of the World Series of Poker

10 Jun 2026

Mrinal Gujare 10 Jun 2026

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WSOP teams up with Solana Foundation as presenting sponsor for 2026 events.
Players can now buy tickets with crypto (zero fees) and get paid in stablecoins.
Partnership streamlines payments, boosts global tournament accessibility and future innovation.

The World Series of Poker named Solana its 2026 presenting sponsor, introducing crypto tournament ticket purchases via MoonPay with zero processing fees. The partnership includes stablecoin payouts at WSOP Paradise, player ambassadors, exclusive hospitality events, and future collaborative onchain products.

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) has announced a first-of-its-kind collaboration with the Solana Foundation to integrate cryptocurrency directly into the global poker experience.

The longest-running and most prestigious poker tournament series in the world is introducing crypto-powered transactions for the first time in its history.

Through this partnership, the Solana Foundation will serve as the official Presenting Sponsor of both the 2026 World Series of Poker and the 2026 World Series of Poker Paradise.

The collaboration launches today at the 57th annual summer event, hosted at Paris Las Vegas and Horseshoe Las Vegas. Players can now purchase tournament tickets directly with crypto using Solana, which is powered by MoonPay’s payment infrastructure.

By leveraging Solana’s high-performance blockchain technology, this brand-new payment method features zero processing fees for participants.

The poker community has historically been at the forefront of digital currency adoption, embracing decentralized technology for its overall efficiency and transparency. As a blockchain network, Solana is capable of processing thousands of transactions per second.

Its ultra-low costs keep average transaction fees below $0.001, mirroring the fast-paced energy of global poker tournaments.

Stablecoin Settlements Coming to WSOP Paradise

The cryptocurrency integration will expand further this December during the 2026 WSOP Paradise in The Bahamas. Tournament winners at this winter event can receive their payout settlements in stablecoins on Solana.

This initiative enables near-instant access to payments and reduces the financial friction traditionally associated with international tournament settlements.

According to the announcement, the key benefits of enabling Solana-powered purchases and stablecoin cashouts include:

Faster settlement and streamlined payment processing for eligible events
Greater accessibility for international players traveling to WSOP events
Near-instant global settlement with reduced friction for users
Expanded payment flexibility for players participating in marquee tournaments worldwide

Industry Leaders Discuss the Convergence of Poker and Crypto

This initiative bridges the digital asset space and the poker world, satisfying a growing demand among players for faster financial tools that simplify participation in global events.

Ty Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of WSOP, expressed pride in bringing the Solana community into the fold. He noted that the Solana ecosystem is laser-focused on the consumer experience and constantly challenges conventions, much like the WSOP.

Vibhu Norby, Chief Product Officer of the Solana Foundation, highlighted the shared characteristics between the two industries. Norby stated that trading has been a massive area of growth on Solana, generating over $4 trillion in volume over the last few years.

He explained that trading shares core elements with poker, including making hard decisions, operating with incomplete information, and minding a bankroll.

Jim Walker, President of MoonPay Commerce, added that poker players naturally adopt tools that give them an edge. Walker noted that powering ticket purchases and settlements through MoonPay on Solana directly meets the player demand for faster, borderless payments.

Beyond payment processing, the Solana Foundation will sponsor a select group of individual poker player ambassadors to represent the ecosystem at this summer's WSOP event.

The Solana ecosystem will also host exclusive hospitality events at the Paris and Horseshoe venues in Las Vegas, alongside a premier experience during WSOP Paradise in The Bahamas.

Solana users can look forward to upcoming collaborative onchain poker products developed in conjunction with the WSOP.

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