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

Author: Ariel, Crypto City

Pokémon 30th Anniversary, Tokenized Pokémon Card Market Weekly Revenue Surges
On the occasion of Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, the market trading of Pokémon card NFTs, also known as “tokenized” Pokémon cards, is highly active. As of the week ending April 6, the revenue reached $5.38 million, approaching the historical high of September 2025.

Compared to six months ago, recent Pokémon card trading booms show structural differences.
Foreign media outlet “The Block” pointed out that the September 2025 peak was concentrated on a single platform, Collector Crypt, which issued tokens that caused a weekly surge. But recent peaks have lasted for six consecutive weeks, with most revenue coming from well-known digital collectibles platform Courtyard.

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

The Pokémon NFT market has become active again, closely tied to the 30th anniversary celebration. Nintendo officially plans to release 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 tokenization technology as a liquidity tool, moving away from the previous NFT speculative trading model.
As Pokémon cards are continuously exchanged and physically delivered, the on-chain market’s pricing function has been validated, establishing a successful model for tokenized intellectual property and collectibles.
It’s important to note 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 current revenue levels are maintained, Courtyard’s 2026 revenue 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 stall. But in the long run, the current trend indicates that “tokenized collectibles” have found a market-aligned product positioning, with potential to establish new business models for sports cards, luxury watches, and other categories.

Image source: Courtyard ｜ Pokémon card tokenization trading on Courtyard

Physical Pokémon stores face security challenges; tokenization offers a safer alternative
Recently, as the value of Pokémon cards surged during the 30th anniversary celebrations, physical stores face security threats. According to BBC reports, there have been multiple break-in robberies at Pokémon card shops across the UK. For example, several stores in Cheshire and Bristol have been targeted, with some losing stock worth tens of thousands of pounds.

• **Related report:**No jewel thefts, now Pokémon cards targeted! UK experiences series 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 custodians and converting them into on-chain tokens, collectors can participate in the trading market while reducing the risk of theft.