The World Series of Poker named the Solana Foundation as Presenting Sponsor of its 2026 events. The deal covers the 57th annual WSOP in Las Vegas and December’s WSOP Paradise in The Bahamas. Additionally, players can now purchase tournament tickets directly with Solana, powered by MoonPay. The crypto buy-in option went live on June 10 at Paris Las Vegas and Horseshoe Las Vegas. Furthermore, the integration carries zero processing fees on every Solana ticket purchase. For Solana, the deal places its brand on poker’s biggest global stage. For the WSOP, it marks the first time players can buy in directly with crypto.
The play is never the move. It's the mind behind it.
— Solana (@solana) June 10, 2026
The World Series of Poker. Now dealt by Solana. pic.twitter.com/EUPJikTWb4
Inside the Solana-WSOP Deal
The Solana Foundation now serves as official Presenting Sponsor of the 2026 WSOP and WSOP Paradise. The WSOP described the collaboration as a first-of-its-kind partnership between the poker series and a major blockchain ecosystem. Notably, the scope extends across ticketing, settlements, ambassadors, hospitality, and future onchain products. “Solana’s ecosystem, like the WSOP, constantly challenges conventions and remains laser-focused on the consumer experience,” said WSOP CEO Ty Stewart. Additionally, Stewart said Solana’s speed and efficiency mirror the fast-paced energy of WSOP tournaments. As a result, the deal extends well beyond standard sponsor logo placement.
Crypto Buy-Ins Go Live via MoonPay
Players can now buy WSOP tournament tickets using Solana, with MoonPay providing the payment infrastructure. The integration marks the first time in WSOP history that players can purchase entries directly with crypto. Additionally, Solana’s network architecture allows the integration to charge zero processing fees. The Solana network settles thousands of transactions per second at average fees below $0.001 each. “Crypto is a natural fit,” said Jim Walker, President of MoonPay Commerce. Walker added that the integration delivers “faster, borderless payments” for players entering tournaments worldwide. Consequently, an international player can fund a seat from any country without typical wire delays.
BREAKING: the World Series of Poker now accepts crypto
— MoonPay 🟣 (@moonpay) June 10, 2026
❤️ buy-in with Solana
♣️ pay zero processing fees
♦️ powered by MoonPay
♠️ live today
we're proud to be the official crypto payments infrastructure of the @WSOP
now turn your tokens into a seat at the table pic.twitter.com/iZZNIAktNE
Stablecoin Payouts Coming to WSOP Paradise
The integration expands at WSOP Paradise in The Bahamas in December 2026. Tournament winners there can collect payouts in stablecoins on Solana. Notably, that change targets the friction tied to international tournament settlements. Additionally, stablecoin settlement delivers near-instant access to winnings across borders. As a result, winners avoid the long wire transfer delays typical of global tournament payouts. For Solana, the move puts its stablecoin infrastructure directly into a live tournament workflow.
A Global Broadcast Footprint
The 2026 WSOP Main Event returns to linear TV in the United States on ESPN starting July 2. Additionally, the tournament will reach more than 130 countries and over 300 million homes worldwide. Broadcasters carrying the event include ESPN, TSN, Disney+, Groupe M6, Abema Japan, and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Eurosport. Furthermore, daily action streams on the WSOP YouTube channel and on X via @Solana. The Solana Foundation now sits alongside that global distribution as the event’s presenting partner. Consequently, Solana receives broadcast exposure across both traditional and onchain-native channels.
Beyond the Felt: Ambassadors, Hospitality, and Onchain Products
The Solana Foundation will sponsor a select group of individual poker player ambassadors this summer. Additionally, the ecosystem will host hospitality events at the Paris and Horseshoe venues in Las Vegas. A premier hospitality experience will also follow at WSOP Paradise in The Bahamas this winter. “We’re incredibly excited to grow the game of poker with the WSOP,” said Solana Foundation CPO Vibhu Norby. Norby compared trading on Solana to poker, citing “hard decisions, incomplete information, minding your bankroll.” Furthermore, the two teams plan to roll out collaborative onchain poker products in the future.
Why It Matters for Solana and Crypto
Solana has spent the past year pushing for mainstream brand visibility beyond crypto-native audiences. The WSOP partnership delivers direct exposure to a global sports audience on ESPN and abroad. Additionally, Solana’s trading volume has crossed $4 trillion as the network’s payment infrastructure has matured. Pairing that volume with a flagship sports property turns the sponsorship into a working payments use case. Notably, crypto sponsorships in major sports collapsed after the 2022 cycle and the FTX implosion. However, the Solana and WSOP deal signals renewed confidence in crypto’s place in mainstream media. For now, the headline is simple. Poker’s biggest stage just went all in on Solana.
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