Pokemon and trading cards are a multi-billion dollar industry: How a collector craze became retail gold

Pokémon packs and sports cards are no longer just a pastime for kids or niche collectors — they have evolved into a billion-dollar phenomenon that's reshaping the retail landscape. The surge in trading card popularity is evident across major retailers like Target and Walmart, as well as digital marketplaces such as eBay and OfferUp.

According to recent data from Circana, nearly 1 in 5 adults reported purchasing Pokémon cards for themselves, though only a quarter actually play the game. The vast majority are collecting or investing, echoing trends seen with bobblehead collectibles and the Labubu toy craze.

The numbers behind the boom

US toy sales climbed 6% from January through April 2025, a growth Circana links directly to new Pokémon releases and the rising popularity of collectible sports trading cards. At Walmart Marketplace, trading card sales surged by a staggering 200% from February 2024 to June 2025. Specifically, Pokémon card sales grew more than tenfold year over year, as confirmed by Walmart.


Target joined in on the upward trend, reporting a near 70% increase in trading card sales so far in 2025. The retailer is on track to surpass $1 billion in trading card sales this year. eBay, another powerhouse in the space, disclosed that trading card sales have now surged for ten consecutive quarters, states an Axios report.

Resale website StockX echoed these trends in its midyear report, highlighting triple-digit growth: Pokémon sales soared 367%, while Topps cards increased by 208% year over year.

Pokémon has consistently ranked among OfferUp’s top 50 most-searched terms every month since April 2025, climbing as high as 22nd in August, according to Ken Murphy, OfferUp's chief innovation officer, reported Axios.

Eric Shemtov, general manager of collectibles at Whatnot, noted: “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”, the report stated.

To capitalize on this momentum, Walmart has partnered with prominent sellers in the trading card industry to broaden its selection 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," said a Walmart spokesperson according to the report.