Pokémon, trading cards have leveled up to retail gold
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Pokémon trading cards are driving sales for retailers like Target. Photo: Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images
Pokémon packs and sports cards aren't just for kids and collectors anymore — they're fueling a retail boom.
Why it matters: Trading cards are billion-dollar businesses for mass retailers like Target.
The big picture: Nearly 1 in 5 adults reported buying Pokémon cards for themselves, though only a quarter actually play the game — most are collecting or investing, per Circana.
- This is similar to collectability of the bobblehead boom and the recent Labubu toy craze.
- U.S. toy sales rose 6% from January through April, according to Circana, who attributes the category's growth to new Pokémon releases and collectible sports trading cards.
Zoom in: Walmart Marketplace saw trading card sales soar 200% between February 2024 and June 2025, with Pokémon card sales growing over 10X year over year, the world's largest retailer told Axios.
- Target officials said Wednesday that trading card sales are up nearly 70% this year and on track to surpass $1 billion in 2025.
- eBay officials said in July that trading card sales have now surged for 10 straight quarters.
- Resale website StockX said in its midyear trend report that Pokémon and Topps are seeing triple-digit sales growth year-over-year, with Pokémon up 367% and Topps up 208%.
What they're saying: Pokémon has landed in OfferUp's top 50 most-searched terms every month since April and climbed to 22 in August, Ken Murphy, the secondhand platform's chief innovation officer, told Axios.
- "Trading cards are experiencing an ongoing resurgence as collectors rediscover the thrill of opening vintage packs from the 90's and chasing the latest releases," Eric Shemtov, general manager of collectibles at live marketplace Whatnot, told Axios.
The intrigue: Walmart tells Axios it has been partnering with well-known sellers in the trading card industry to increase its assortment of Pokémon, Magic the Gathering and sports trading cards.
- "We have ramped up pre-orders with sellers allowing customers to secure their new releases up to a month before release dates," a Walmart spokesperson told Axios.
What we're watching: Whether trading cards can sustain billion-dollar growth or cool off once the current wave of blockbuster releases fades.
- Jamie Iannone, eBay's president and CEO, said growth has never been linear with trading cards and collectibles.
