The 2025 Global Poker Index (GPI) Player of the Year race has concluded with a historic outcome, as Thailand’s Punnat Punsri secured the overall title and became the first Asian player ever to win the prestigious award.
Punsri delivered a remarkably consistent season across the world’s biggest poker stages. While much of his volume came from the Triton Poker Series, he also posted strong results on the APT, EPT, WPT, and WSOP circuits. Over the course of the year, he recorded 61 cashes and seven victories, adding nearly $11 million to his career earnings and pushing his lifetime total beyond $30 million.
The final standings were decided late in the year at the WPT World Championship. A third-place finish in a $25,000 NLH High Roller allowed Punsri to pick up crucial points and narrowly edge out Jesse Lonis for the top spot in the GPI rankings.
Lonis, who finished second overall for the second consecutive year, still enjoyed an outstanding 2025. His results were enough to secure both the United States National Player of the Year title and the North America Continental Player of the Year award, while also leading all players in total tournament earnings for the year.
In the female category, Kristen Foxen once again stood above the field. Foxen captured her fifth GPI Female Player of the Year title in the past eight years, finishing more than 700 points clear of the runner-up. Her 2025 campaign also saw her take over the top spot on the Women’s All-Time Money List.
The Mid-Major Player of the Year honor went to Algeria’s Omar Lakhdari, while continental and national rankings across Europe and Latin America were claimed by several familiar elite names.
Beyond individual achievements, the 2025 GPI results marked a defining moment for Asian poker, signaling its growing presence and influence at the highest levels of the global game.