Pokémon cardsandsports trading cardsare currently outperforming the S&P 500, yielding returns of over 46 percent annually. They are also experiencing a surge in popularity among younger generations and Millennials, with no signs of waning; in fact, the trend has intensified since Logan Paul entered the gaming world with his Pokémon cards.
This has been a golden year for Pokémon and sports trading cards, from their continuously growing value to the surge in popularity among collectors. This trend is also growing in Thailand, while the United States, the world’s largest market, has seen growth that has even surpassed the S&P 500 in stock returns. CNBC reported on this growth in July.
The CNBC report stated that “Sales of strategic trading cards, excluding sports cards, grew 103% year-to-date through August, while sales of non-strategic cards, often pop culture or sports cards, increased 48%,” according to market research firm Circana. Specifically, since 2021, sales of strategic cards have grown by $891 million, or 139%, to a total of $1.5 billion. Sales of non-strategic cards and stickers increased by $565 million, or 156%, to $925 million during the same period.
This aligns with Walmart’s online sales figures, which reported a 200% increase in trading card sales between February 2024 and June 2025, with Pokémon sales more than increasing tenfold compared to the same period the previous year.
The main customer groups entering this market are younger generations and Millennials, driven by nostalgia for their childhood, a time many may not have had the opportunity to experience. Simultaneously, these trading cards have become a popular investment option. Throughout August, the value of Pokémon cards yielded a cumulative return of 3,821% since 2004, according to the Card Ladder analytics firm.
Meanwhile, Target, an American retailer, told CNBC that “Pokémon remains the top-selling toy brand in this category, surpassing $1 billion in card sales last year, making it the first toy brand to reach a billion-dollar milestone in the United States, according to Circa. Sports trading cards are also gaining popularity, particularly among young men, with NFL sets being the most popular.”
This period could be considered the golden age of collectible cards, both Pokémon and sports-related. Thailand is another rapidly growing market, and those who don’t want to miss out can visit the Thailand Sports Collectibles Convention at Central Westgate Hall on May 16-17.