Summary
- Tokenized Pokémon card sales have surged dramatically over the last year, driven by increased speculative interest in trading cards.
- This growth is largely attributed to gacha machines, which replicate the excitement of opening card packs while bordering on gambling.
- To address doubts and concerns about potential scams, Collector Crypt uses a secure 28,000-square-foot facility in Montana to store its physical inventory.
In a secure location in Montana, a collection of Pokémon cards is housed within a 28,000-square-foot facility, forming the backbone of a multi-million-dollar crypto market.
Tuom Holmberg, the CEO of Collector Crypt, shared with Decrypt that since the platform's launch 18 months ago, their vaulting facility has become a key part of their brand, especially as competitors emerge offering tokenized versions of these beloved cards.
“Out of the 30 other vibe-coded platforms that have followed us, likely half store their inventory in their closets,” he claimed, referencing a wave of companies responding to the rising interest in popular characters like Pikachu, Charizard, and Gengar.
According to Strategic Market Research, the global trading card market was valued at $15.8 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $23.5 billion by 2030. As of Friday, the market capitalization for NFTs was reported at $2.4 billion, as per NFT Price Floor.
During the crypto boom of the pandemic, NFTs generated billions, and although interest in digital art and profile pictures has waned, the technology has resurfaced as a crucial element in the speculative atmosphere surrounding trading cards.
Despite its advantages, the technology does face skepticism, Holmberg acknowledged.
“Our biggest hurdle is attending a card show,” he remarked. “When you mention, ‘We’re behind all those tokenized cards on Solana,’ about 90% of attendees dismiss it as fraud or a scam.”
Nevertheless, the company's promotional efforts have capitalized on the speculative excitement that led influencer and wrestler Logan Paul to sell a rare Pokémon card for $16.5 million at auction in February.
A recent video from Solana showcased the platform's gacha machine, asking, “Would you spin for a $15,000 Pokémon card?”—a feature that Holmberg explained mimics the traditional thrill of unpacking card packs by dispensing random, card-backed NFTs.
Would you spin for a $15,000 Pokémon card? pic.twitter.com/NRxjtN1LGd
— Solana (@solana) June 3, 2026
The Gacha Gold Rush
Dominic Jang, co-founder and CSO of Deadstock, another platform that offers tokenized Pokémon cards, informed Decrypt that both gacha machines and digital packs appeal to collectors and speculators, who seek either “the thrill and quick exit” or the actual card.
“What’s truly innovative is that the pull now provides instant liquidity,” he explained. “Gacha and mystery packs may seem like a sales strategy, [...] but they have subtly become a gateway.”
This month, Courtyard, which also deals in NFTs related to physical collectibles, announced its expansion into vintage U.S. coins. The platform also provides digital packs for various card types and digital versions of luxury watches and comic books.
Data from research firm Messari indicated that the top seven platforms for tokenized Pokémon cards generated $230 million in sales through gacha games in May, a significant rise from $32 million a year prior when Collector Crypt and Courtyard were the primary competitors.
INSIGHT: Onchain TCG gacha spending reached a record $230M in May, with @solana accounting for ~64% of total volume. pic.twitter.com/UqegFWpiX7
— Tokens on Solana (@tokens) June 1, 2026
AvgJoesCrypto, a pseudonymous analyst from Messari, told Decrypt that the tenfold increase can be attributed to reduced friction. While eBay buyers face risks with counterfeit items, platforms like Collector Crypt simplify ownership, allowing users to gain exposure to assets in just a few clicks.
“We’re witnessing the snowball effect of a product that fits the market well,” he remarked. “Blockchain infrastructure provides a superior medium for trading these assets once they are tokenized.”
Sales figures reflect users who repeatedly try their luck. Collector Crypt provides instant buybacks at a 10% to 15% discount compared to market prices. Last month, the company announced it had facilitated $1 billion in total sales over its 18-month existence.
“That’s all from our gacha machine,” Holmberg noted, adding that it constitutes 90% to 95% of their business.
While he acknowledged the service's gambling-like nature, he described it as a gamified shopping experience, highlighting the machine’s “positive expected value,” where users who invest $50 typically receive $55 back. He stated, “Users should be able to open five to ten packs, obtain a card they wish to keep, and pay essentially market price.”
Collector Crypt has implemented additional measures to enhance consumer experience beyond its own platform. Regarding the security of Pokémon cards in Montana, Holmberg mentioned that some competitors have utilized their facility for liquidity and trust.
“They are directly tapping into our trading card liquidity pool stored in our vault,” Holmberg explained. “If mainstream audiences begin to embrace this concept, [...] one can foresee numerous Reddit posts if one of these platforms fails.”