ChainCatcher, citing a Decrypt report, said trading volume for tokenized Pokémon cards has been rising quickly on crypto platforms. The model maps physical Pokémon cards into NFTs or digital certificates, creating an online trading experience similar to opening boxes or drawing cards. The report described the role of a “gacha” mechanism, which turns the purchase and discovery process into a digital version of card opening.
According to data disclosed by Messari, tokenized Pokémon card activity across seven blockchains, including Solana, Polygon, Base and BNB, reached about $230 million in trading volume in May. That figure was roughly 10 times higher than one year earlier. The report also noted that the global trading card market reached $15.8 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to $23.5 billion by 2030. By comparison, the total market value of NFTs is currently about $2.4 billion, indicating that on-chain collectibles remain in an early stage of penetration within the broader physical card market.