Solana Processed $22.9M in WSOP Buy-Ins During Its First Year at the Tables

Solana's first season at the World Series of Poker generated $22,889,450 across 6,176 entries, reaching 5.3% of the tournament's total buy-in dollar volume while accounting for just 2.5% of all entries, according to data shared by Solana Foundation Chief Product Officer Vibhu Norby on July 17.

The average Solana-paid entry was $3,706, against $2,053 for non-crypto buy-ins, an 80% premium that places crypto players disproportionately in higher-stakes tournaments.

WSOP 2026 Set Records Across the Board

The 57th annual World Series of Poker, held May 26 through July 15 at Paris Las Vegas and Horseshoe Las Vegas, drew 251,899 entries from 149 countries, generated $469.9 million in prize money, and took in $517.2 million in total buy-ins, an all-time entry record and the second-largest prize pool in the event's history.

Solana's $22.9 million share came from the first-ever crypto payment option in WSOP history. The Solana Foundation became the official presenting sponsor of the 2026 WSOP on June 10, enabling zero-fee buy-ins with SOL (SOL), USDC (USDC), and USDT (USDT).

MoonPay Built the Payment Rail

MoonPay provided the payment infrastructure that routed crypto buy-ins at the tournament cage, a role the company confirmed in response to Norby's July 17 post. MoonPay Commerce President Jim Walker described the integration's purpose at the June announcement: "By powering purchases and settlements through MoonPay on Solana, we're meeting that demand directly: faster, borderless payments."

WSOP CEO Ty Stewart framed it in broader terms: "Solana's speed and efficiency mirror the fast-paced energy of our tournaments, and we are excited to showcase their technology to our global audience."

Stablecoin Payouts Still Ahead

The Las Vegas summer run handled inbound entries only. At WSOP Paradise in The Bahamas this December, tournament winners will have the option to receive payouts in Solana-based stablecoins, completing the on-chain loop that this year's series opened. That expansion will also provide a cleaner read on whether the high-stakes skew in year one holds as the option becomes available to a broader international field.