WSOP Becomes Major Payment Use Case for Solana as $23M Flows Through Blockchain

^{WSOP 2026 Main Event winner Lucas Jamalon}

Players used Solana to pay a total of $23 million in tournament buy-ins during the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP). Solana Foundation Chief Product Officer Vibhu Norby reported the figures.

Solana is a blockchain platform — a digital network that allows users to transfer cryptocurrencies and other digital assets without relying on traditional banking payments. In 2026, it became a WSOP partner, and players were given the option for the first time to directly pay tournament entry fees in crypto through the network. Solana is well suited to such payments because transactions are fast and fees are low.

MoonPay handled the technical processing of the transactions. Players were not charged processing fees when paying WSOP buy-ins through Solana.

For Solana, the partnership also provided an opportunity to demonstrate a practical use for blockchain beyond trading digital assets, positioning the network as payment infrastructure for a major international event.

According to Solana Foundation Chief Product Officer Vibhu Norby, around 6% of all WSOP tournament buy-ins were processed through the platform. A buy-in is the amount a player pays to enter a particular tournament.

The partnership is expected to expand further.

Solana has also highlighted the overlap between poker and crypto audiences, noting that participants in both fields manage capital, assess risk and make decisions with incomplete information.

At WSOP Paradise 2026 in December, players will also be able to receive tournament payouts through Solana in stablecoins — cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a stable value by being pegged to traditional currencies such as the U.S. dollar.

Gambling Park previously reported that 22-year-old American Lucas Jamalon won the 2026 WSOP Main Event.