Solana processed $23 million in payments at the 2026 WSOP.

Solana processed $23 million in Solana-based payments at the 2026 WSOP, representing 6% of the total buy-in. The company's CPO stated that this partnership is not merely a sponsorship, but rather aimed at improving the industry ecosystem and promoting poker.

At the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP), poker fans will see the Solana brand logo everywhere they go, and there are good reasons for that.

This public blockchain platform partnered fully with the WSOP this summer to ensure smooth payment processing for thousands of players participating in the Las Vegas series. How much influence does Solana have on the series? Hear directly from the company's Chief Product Officer (CPO), Vibhu Nordy ("vibhu"), on the PokerNews Podcast.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but this year we processed $23 million in Solana-based payments at the WSOP," Vibhu told co-hosts Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz.

This eight-figure figure is even more impressive when considering that Solana's usage accounts for approximately 6% of all buy-ins at the 2026 WSOP, and it is more than double the amount Lucas Jumalon won in the Main Event.

“This is the first time we’ve done something like this,” Nordy said. “We’ve never sponsored any events before. In fact, we don’t even believe in sponsorship. The only reason we’re doing this is because we feel we can actually work with the industry to develop products and do something to make it better. It’s not just about putting our logo on something.”

Promoting Solana and Poker

Nordy is not only a blockchain enthusiast and investor, but also a poker fan. He used the WSOP sponsorship agreement to bring Solana's services to the WSOP and promote poker to wealthy cryptocurrency investors.

During the 2026 WSOP Main Event final table, held at Horseshoe Las Vegas, PokerNews, in collaboration with 2006 World Champion Jamie Gold, provided live coverage of the inaugural $100,000 WSOP Solana Showdown Free-for-All Tournament, a nine-player, full-board tournament that invited several prominent figures from the cryptocurrency world to participate.

Ultimately, cryptocurrency trader Rasmr defeated MinhxDynasty to win the $50,000 first prize, with the runner-up receiving $25,000. These recreational players had all received guidance from Gold, who won $12 million in poker's biggest annual tournament 20 years ago.

Vibhu will have the opportunity to prove his poker skills on Saturday in Austin, Texas, as he competes in Poker at The Lodge, a popular cash game show hosted by The Lodge Card Club, co-owned by Doug Polk, Brad Owen, and Andrew Neeme.

The Solana executive wrote on the X platform that his upcoming appearance at The Lodge is "good news for those who enjoy watching me lose money." Perhaps he's using bluffing techniques to convince his opponents at the table that he's just a fish. Tune in on Saturday to find out.

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