Celebrating the 30th anniversary! The "tokenization" of the Pokémon card trading market is booming, with weekly earnings of $5.38 million.

Author: Ariel, Encrypted City

Pokémon 30th Anniversary, Tokenized Pokémon Card Market Weekly Revenue Surges
On the occasion of Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, the market for Pokémon card NFTs, also known as “tokenized” Pokémon cards, is bustling with trading activity. As of the week ending April 6, the revenue reached $5.38 million, approaching the all-time high of September 2025.
Compared to six months ago, the recent Pokémon card trading boom shows structural differences.
Foreign media outlet “The Block” pointed out that the peak in September 2025 was concentrated on a single platform, Collector Crypt, which issued tokens that caused a weekly surge, but the recent high points have lasted for six consecutive weeks, with most revenue coming from well-known digital collectibles platform Courtyard.

Image source: The Block | The market trading activity of “tokenized” Pokémon cards, with weekly revenue reaching $5.38 million as of April 6

The Pokémon NFT market has reignited, closely tied to the 30th anniversary celebration. Nintendo officially launched 30th-anniversary products worldwide in 2026, confirming the inclusion of old back designs and popular cards from previous generations, and the NFT market has already reflected this commemorative demand early.

Tokenized Pokémon cards differ from profile picture NFTs
Unlike the NFT hype in previous years that was purely based on virtual profile pictures, transforming Pokémon cards into “tokenized collectibles” on the blockchain has become a feasible subcategory of real-world assets (RWA).
Taking Courtyard as an example, the platform stores physical Pokémon cards in third-party vaults and issues exchangeable tokens backed by these physical assets, attracting collectors seeking liquidity while avoiding the native speculative risks of cryptocurrencies.

• Related report:** Selling a pack every 4 seconds! The rapid growth of the TCG market,**** Who are the clients of Collector Crypt and Courtyard?**

These platforms that facilitate open Pokémon card trading mainly use their tokenization technology as a liquidity tool, breaking away from the previous NFT speculative trading model.
As Pokémon cards are continuously exchanged and physically delivered, the pricing function of the on-chain market has been validated, establishing a successful model for tokenized intellectual property and collectibles.
It should be noted that the Pokémon card tokenization market is an independent secondary market, with no affiliation to Pokémon Company, Nintendo, or any other official entity.

Riding the Pokémon 30th Anniversary wave, Courtyard’s annual revenue is estimated to reach $200 million
“The Block” estimates that, if the revenue maintains its current level, Courtyard’s projected revenue for 2026 could reach $200 million, surpassing most mid-sized NFT trading platforms in 2021, and marketing expenses are significantly reduced because the platform’s demand is directly driven by the physical card market boom, without needing to re-promote profile picture NFTs.
Courtyard’s short-term risk is that the bull market for physical cards may stagnate. But in the long run, the current trend indicates that “tokenized collectibles” have found a market-aligned product positioning, with future potential to establish new business models for sports cards, luxury watches, and other categories.

Image source: Courtyard | Pokémon card tokenized trading on Courtyard

Physical Pokémon stores face security challenges; tokenization offers a safe alternative
Recently, amid the boost from the 30th anniversary activities, physical stores are facing security issues. According to BBC reports, several Pokémon card shops across the UK have recently experienced break-ins and robberies. For example, stores in Cheshire and Bristol have been targeted, with some losing inventory worth tens of thousands of pounds.

• Related report:** Not stealing jewelry, but Pokémon cards! UK experiences a wave of smash-and-grab robberies, causing heavy losses for stores.**

In the face of theft risks for physical Pokémon cards, the tokenized market provides a contactless, relatively secure ownership and trading option.
By entrusting high-value cards to professional vaults and converting them into on-chain tokens, collectors can continue participating in the card trading market while reducing the risk of theft.