The World Collection of Poker is now accepting cryptocurrency as buy-ins for upcoming occasions.
WSOP officers introduced a partnership with the Solana Basis Wednesday. The deal makes the muse the official Presenting Sponsor of the 2026 WSOP and the 2026 WSOP Paradise.
However maybe extra importantly, it permits WSOP contributors to purchase into WSOP occasions with cryptocurrency. Gamers can use SOL (the native token to the Solana chain), USDC, or USDT to buy their event tickets.
MoonPay, an on-and-off-ramp service for crypto, will “energy” the crypto transactions. In essence, the third-party will instantly convert crypto to conventional fiat forex for the WSOP.
“We’re extremely proud to convey such an modern and passionate group into the fold,” stated WSOP CEO Ty Stewart. “Solana’s ecosystem, just like the WSOP, always challenges conventions and stays laser-focused on the patron expertise. Solana’s velocity and effectivity mirror the fast-paced vitality of our tournaments, and we’re excited to showcase their expertise to our world viewers.”
Partnership May Ease Excessive-Stakes Roadblocks
The brand new deal comes only a few days after Britney Jing was faraway from a high-stakes money sport over anti-money laundering legal guidelines. Jing introduced a big sum of money from Los Angeles to play within the sport and WSOP officers had been unable to confirm the place the cash originated.
Caesars Leisure is lower than a yr faraway from a $7.8 million nice for permitting an unlawful bookmaker to gamble at their properties.
Thus, the corporate thought permitting Jing to play put the corporate susceptible to one other large invoice. Nevertheless, the brand new settlement with Solana might ease future high-stakes funding issues.
Nevada gaming regulators don’t enable casinos to just accept cryptocurrency instantly for wagering. However they do enable operators to just accept crypto whether it is processed by particular blockchain analytic techniques.
Insert MoonPay.
The AML burden shifts from Caesars to MoonPay within the crypto transaction. So long as it processes the transaction, Caesars and the WSOP is off the hook for any AML duties.
Simpler To Catch Cash Laundering With Crypto Transactions?
A part of the negativity round cryptocurrency is that it lacks performance and is barely utilized by criminals to launder cash. However that is likely to be a misnomer.
Crypto exchanges and different third events like MoonPay are in a position to flag wallets for doable illicit exercise. Then, crypto coming from these pockets addresses can shortly and simply be denied.
On the finish of Could, a number of crypto merchants posted on social media about getting banned from transacting on Hyperliquid, a brand new on-chain crypto change.
These merchants all had one factor in frequent. They used HTX, a Russian cryptocurrency change sanctioned by the UK authorities. In line with Bloomberg stories, UK regulators allege the change helped the Kremlin evade monetary restriction and transfer $1.5 billion to its coffers.
I simply acquired banned from @HyperliquidX ?? 😭😭
My fundamental pockets was out of the blue flagged as “excessive danger” by a third-party screening software, and I can now not connect with the Hyperliquid frontend
I genuinely don’t perceive this choice, particularly as a result of it’s taking place now.Over… pic.twitter.com/UwPC5Tn4yC
— Maxime (@MixemaCrypto) March 29, 2026
On this occasion, the power to flag wallets seems to have harm a bunch of harmless merchants. Nevertheless, the power to do it really helps the WSOP streamline its AML protections.
Security For Excessive-Stakes Gamers
Lastly, the addition of crypto into high-stakes event poker improves participant security.
I bear in mind overlaying my first WSOP in 2009. On a number of events, I noticed poker gamers pulling bricks of money out of their backpacks to purchase into money video games, tournaments, or to sq. up event items with mates.
It places a goal on their again.
In 2019, one WSOP competitor stated he was robbed at gunpoint within the car parking zone of the Rio Lodge & On line casino.
The WSOP gives providers to assist scale back the possibilities of that occuring, however the backside line is that carrying massive quantities of money remains to be a danger. Nevertheless, with out the password to a crypto pockets, it’s a lot more durable to rob a poker participant of their cryptocurrency.
It additionally reduces friction for international gamers coming to the collection. They now not have to fret about forex conversion or declaring money upon arrival.
These issues are magnified at larger stakes. The sport’s premier high-roller tour, Triton Poker, has been accepting crypto transactions for just a few years.
In reality, Triton has leaned into the cryptocurrency world, partnering with CoinPoker, a cyrptocurrency-focused on-line poker site, for his or her final collection in Montenegro.
