Pokemon TCG marketplaces hit $7.4M weekly revenue record

Tokenized @Pokemon TCG marketplaces recorded a combined $7.4 million in weekly revenue during the first week of May, a 337% increase year over year, according to The Block. The figure marks a fresh all-time high for the sector and signals that on-chain trading card platforms have developed durable demand well beyond early speculative peaks.

Three Platforms, One Surging Market

Courtyard led the field with a 46% share of weekly revenue, followed by Collector Crypt at 27% and Phygitals at 26%. Unlike a prior weekly high that was concentrated in a single Collector Crypt pump around its token generation event, the current record has stacked across six consecutive weeks, with Courtyard responsible for the majority.

Courtyard issues NFTs on Polygon tied to cards stored and insured by Brink's, with redemption rights for physical assets. The platform has raised $37 million in funding, including a $30 million Series A in July 2025 led by Y Combinator, ParaFi Capital, and NEA. Collector Crypt operates on Solana and revolves around vaulted physical Pokemon cards that users can open on-chain or redeem for the actual card.

Courtyard's model, which uses physical cards vaulted with a third-party custodian and backed by an NFT redeemable for the physical card, is attracting collectors seeking fractional liquidity without crypto-native speculation risk. The tokenization layer is being used as a liquidity wrapper rather than a purely speculative venue, with cards flowing out for physical delivery, validating the pricing function of the on-chain market.

Anniversary Tailwinds and the RWA Question

The timing is notable. The Pokemon TCG is turning 30 this year, with the celebration featuring a simultaneously coordinated global launch in participating markets, followed by additional product releases throughout the year. The flagship 30th Celebration set is scheduled to launch in Japan on September 16, with every card in the pack printed as holofoil and six cards per booster instead of the usual five. The Japanese release is expected to be followed shortly after by the set's worldwide debut, previously confirmed as a simultaneous launch. Collector interest is already elevated, with Google Trends showing worldwide searches for "Pokemon cards" near all-time highs.

The broader read from analysts is that tokenized collectibles have moved past the "NFT adjacent" category and into a workable real-world asset subcategory. This creates a template for the broader "tokenized IP and collectibles" thesis that NFT-era projects failed to produce. Whether platforms can sustain that positioning through a year-end anniversary product cycle, and beyond, remains the central question for the sector.

Sources
The Block: Pokemon TCG Marketplaces Near Record as Tokenized Collectibles Show Staying Power
The Pokemon Company: The Pokemon TCG Is Celebrating 30 Years with Special Worldwide Releases
Game Rant: Pokemon TCG Confirms Release Date for 30th Anniversary Set