Tokenized Pokémon cards have surged into the spotlight after the debut of a Solana token tied to a collectibles startup, reviving interest in on-chain trading-card ecosystems.
Collector Crypt — a Solana-based project that sells randomized “gacha” packs redeemable for physical, third-party graded Pokémon cards — recently ran a presale for its CARDS token using Metaplex. The token’s market cap climbed from roughly $23 million to a peak near $85 million within a day, and the price jumped about 210% to around $0.19, according to CoinGecko. CoinGecko also relayed a Rugcheck.xyz alert noting that the token’s creator can alter supply and may be able to disable selling — a centralization risk for users to consider.
The team says it will outline how CARDS will be integrated into its product lineup in the weeks after launch and has claimed on X that 100% of net funds will be used to purchase physical Pokémon cards for the ecosystem. Collector Crypt’s gacha app has reportedly generated about $70 million in sales, and the platform offers a buyback program that redeems NFTs for roughly 90% of estimated resale value based on online marketplace prices.
This momentum builds on an existing market that has largely lived on Polygon. Marketplaces such as Courtyard have minted over 3 million trading-card NFTs and recorded a record $78 million in Pokémon secondary sales last month. Other platforms like Phygitals are experimenting with arcade-style minting and mockups for tokenized Pokémon markets, showing varied approaches to packaging physical collectibles as on-chain assets.
Beyond purchases and trading, some projects are testing ways to fold tokenized cards into DeFi — lending, collateralization and tokenized “player” markets have been suggested but remain early-stage. Bitwise research analyst Danny Nelson compared the trend to prediction-market growth, saying tokenized TCGs may have lasting appeal.
Risk awareness: this sector is volatile. Centralized token controls, unclear custodial arrangements for physical cards and thin liquidity can amplify losses. This is not investment advice; readers should perform due diligence before participating.
Source: Decrypt. Read the original coverage for full details.