Among all the action this week in poker, one of the biggest stories is that the WSOP has now allowed players to use cryptocurrency for their tournament buy-ins.
This move could drastically change the way high-stakes players find staking for their actions.
In addition to some big business news, some incredible results also took place on the felt, with two-time bracelet winner Santhosh Suvarna capturing his third WSOP bracelet, winning almost two million dollars.
Another impressive accomplishment was that Naoya Kihara completed a back-to-back bracelet run.
As we continue to discuss the current controversy involving the removal of high-stakes player Britney Jing from a recent private cash game due to alleged compliance issues, we also saw a lot of action in the cash/credit card scene.
WSOP Announces Cryptocurrency Buy-Ins Through Solana Partnership
WSOP Solana Partnership (Image Courtesy of WSOP)
The World Series of Poker announced a partnership with the Solana Foundation as their official presenting sponsor for both the 2026 WSOP and WSOP Paradise Events.
Players can purchase their tournament entries via Cryptocurrency.
Using SOL, USDC & USDT will allow players to buy into WSOP Events.
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
All transactions will be processed through an escrow service provided by MoonPay to convert Cryptocurrency to USD before reaching the WSOP.
"This is about bringing innovation to the poker community with cutting-edge technology that is fast and efficient," said Ty Stewart, CEO of WSOP.
Furthermore, the timing of this announcement coincides with the previous discussions within the WSOP about verifying player buy-ins.
Using the above-mentioned regulated Payment Processor, it shifts the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) obligations away from Caesars Entertainment and onto MoonPay, thus creating more seamless transactions at the high-stakes level.
Finally, this shift could potentially create greater safety for players.
Players at the high-stakes level have historically transported large amounts of cash to tournament locations, which has increased the likelihood of players being robbed.
The risk of physically transporting a large amount of money decreases, and it also eases difficulties for players attending the WSOP series during international travel.
The use of cryptocurrency is not new to high-stakes poker games.
Triton Poker has been using cryptocurrency as a method of payment for several years and has a business relationship with CoinPoker, a company that operates online poker sites specializing in using cryptocurrency as a payment option.
Santhosh Suvarna Wins Third WSOP Bracelet and $1.9 Million
Santhosh Suvarna Wins Third WSOP Bracelet (Image Courtesy of WSOP)
Santhosh Suvarna, a renowned poker player from India, added another title to his poker resume by winning the WSOP $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em Eight-Max event.
By winning the event, Suvarna added another WSOP bracelet (his third overall) and took home a $1,922,870 cash prize, defeating a field of 167 entries.
With his latest victory, he became only the second Indian player to win three WSOP bracelets, alongside Nipun Java, who shares the record as the only other Indian to have achieved such a feat.
Business Man Destroys The Pros For Millions
— WSOP - World Series of Poker (@WSOP) June 11, 2026
Santhosh Suvarna conquered one of the toughest fields of the summer, topping 167 entries in Event #29: $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em to win $1,922,870 and his third WSOP bracelet.
India's all-time money leader continues to… pic.twitter.com/Hef64UwnZw
Many big names in poker were present at the final table.
Jans Arends finished in 8th place, Brandon Wilson finished in 6th position, Anatoly Zlotnikov's tournament life ended in 5th place and Chris Brewer was eliminated in 4th place, ultimately eliminated by Colin Robinson in 3rd place.
Suvarna eventually faced off against Chang Lee from South Korea for the championship.
The match initially remained fairly competitive, but Suvarna pulled ahead and dramatically finished it off with the last hand.
Chang Lee's 
was beaten by Suvarna's 
when Suvarna completed a full house on the river for the win.
Lee received $1,281,905 for finishing in 2nd place, while Suvarna walked away with his biggest payday of his career.
Naoya Kihara Completes Incredible Back-to-Back WSOP Bracelet Run
Naoya Kihara Wins back-to-back WSOP Bracelets (Image Courtesy of WSOP)
Popular Japanese poker player Naoya Kihara had one of his best weeks of the summer after winning two bracelets at back-to-back World Series of Poker Championships.
He won the $10,000 Deuce-to-Seven Single Draw Lowball Championship, and then, two days later, he emerged victorious in the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship.
Kihara's victory earned him $301,970 and his third WSOP bracelet.
After struggling in tournaments over the past few years, Kihara was originally going to take a break from tournament poker.
However, this summer was one of the best runs of his career, and he became the first Japanese person to win three WSOP Bracelets.
The Seven-Card Stud Championship attracted a total of 130 entries.
Many notable players made it to the final table, including Michael Mizrachi, Chris Brewer, Jeremy Ausmus, Allen Kessler and James Cheung.
Kihara beat Cheung heads-up to win the tournament and continue the streak of at least one player having won two or more bracelets during a single summer at the WSOP since 2000.
Britney Jing's Removal From WSOP Cash Game Sparks Debate
Britney Jing Removed from High-stakes Cash Games (Image Courtesy of WSOP)
Britney Jing is perhaps one of the most talked-about figures in poker this week after being pulled from a live-streamed $100/$200 no-limit hold 'em cash game at the WSOP when officials had concerns about the source of her buy-in funds.
Initially, Britney had got cash from Hustler Casino and received a verified casino cheque after officials asked her for proof of where her money came from.
After getting the check, she was allowed to play and streamed for about two hours before being pulled after a break.
The news about Britney being removed from the game spread quickly and fellow player Nikhil "Nik Airball" Arcot said compliance issues were the reason.
This incident has occurred at a time when Nevada regulators are closely monitoring casinos’ anti-money laundering efforts.
Recently, regulators have heavily fined several major operators in Las Vegas for allowing illegal bookmakers to gamble at their casinos.
Britney’s situation was not an isolated incident; tournament professional Andrew Moreno reported having trouble depositing cash for tournament entries.
My buy-in funds were legitimate, traceable, and backed by documented MGM winnings.
— Britney (@AllInBritney) June 9, 2026
My concern is not compliance, but process: I was cleared to play, allowed to put money at risk, then later deemed ineligible.
I’m asking for transparency, consistency, and fair accounting.… pic.twitter.com/OnViVrdp2G
On the other hand, Jonathan Tamayo, who is the reigning WSOP Main Event Champion, also needed to provide additional documentation when depositing money.
Many players are worried that additional scrutiny could make it harder to play high-stakes poker in Las Vegas.
But casino owners are still under a lot of pressure to show that they obey the rules or face fines from the government.
