Pokémon Card Sales Are Surging on Crypto Platforms—Just Don't Call It Gambling
Collector Crypt has turned a Montana vault full of physical Pokémon cards into the backbone of a growing tokenized-collectibles business. CEO Tuom Holmberg says many rival platforms keep inventory insecurely, while his facility helps build trust and liquidity. The market has expanded quickly as trading cards boom and NFTs shift from art toward speculation-linked infrastructure. Tokenized card platforms use gacha machines and digital packs to mimic opening booster packs while giving buyers instant liquidity and buyback options. Supporters say blockchain removes friction versus marketplaces like eBay, where counterfeits remain a risk. Holmberg says the model is gamified shopping with “positive expected value,” though it can resemble gambling. Messari data cited in the piece shows onchain Pokémon-card gacha spending reached $230 million in May, up from $32 million a year earlier. Collector Crypt says it has processed $1 billion in total sales, with gacha driving most of its business.
