Trading cards for the game “Magic” can be found in shops where “Magic” tournaments are held.
Frank Lumpenhorst | Image Alliance | Getty Images
With screen time skyrocketing and technology advancing, low-tech entertainment is coming back in a big way. It’s a trading card collection.
Cardstock depicting everything from NFL players to Pokemon to even Taylor Swift is one of the most popular toy categories in stores this year. Major retailers are stocking up ahead of the holiday season, anticipating demand to expand beyond traditional toy buyers such as children and collectors.
“We believe trading cards are a popular gift category for all ages, and we’re excited to spice it up with newness and exclusive drops,” said Rick Gomez. target’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer told CNBC. “With new releases scheduled almost every week during the holidays, demand will be high, and these make great gifts and stocking stuffers.”
Sales of strategic trading cards, excluding sports, rose 103% year-to-date through August, while sales of non-strategic cards, which tend to be collectible pop culture and sports cards, rose 48%, according to market research firm Circana.
Target’s trading card sales have increased nearly 70% since the beginning of the year, and annual revenue from the category is expected to exceed $1 billion.
Sales are increasing even faster on some online platforms. walmart The marketplace saw a 200% increase in trading card sales from February 2024 to June 2025, with Pokemon sales increasing more than 10 times year-over-year during the same period, the company first told Axios. The retailer has also launched a new weekly influencer livestream series focused on sporting goods.
Since 2021, strategy card sales have increased by $891 million, or 139%, to a total of $1.5 billion, according to Circana. Sales of non-strategic cards and collectible stickers increased $565 million, or 156%, to $925 million in the same period, Sarkana said.
Juli Rennett, vice president and industry advisor for Circana’s U.S. toy business, said Millennial and Gen Z customers are critical to growth.
“A lot of adults buy these because they remind them of a time when they didn’t have any worries in the world,” Rennett said. “In today’s economy, it’s an affordable luxury. Some people couldn’t afford a card as kids, but now they have their own money and no one says no.”
Some buyers treat cards like alternative investments. Through August, the value of Pokemon cards has experienced a cumulative return of 3,821% since 2004, according to an index from analytics firm Card Ladder, The Wall Street Journal reported. To combat online resellers, many stores are now limiting each purchaser to two packs.
The trading card category has boomed this year, but not everyone is convinced the segment will boost sales during the peak holiday season. According to Circana, 19% of adults said they had bought a Pokemon card for themselves in the past six months, suggesting they may not buy Pokemon cards for others in the coming weeks.
“The category is growing steadily, but the majority of buyers are buying for themselves. There isn’t as much of a gift element in this category as there is with other toys,” Rennett said.
Pokemon cards released in 1999
Yvonne Hemsey | Hulton Archive | Getty Images
Rush all year round
Trading cards may lack holiday flair, but they make up for in consistency.
Cards are different from most toy categories in two main ways. That’s because the cards are frequently purchased on their own and aren’t “super seasonal,” Lennett said.
“We sell just as many cards in March or July as we do in December,” she says. “That makes them very attractive for retailers looking to offset seasonal risks.”
Target, which often sees sales increase on products related to the holiday season, is looking to capitalize on the year-round enthusiasm for cards.
“We expanded our selection. We increased our inventory. We put trading cards in a more prominent place in the store and made bolder displays, and the business responded,” Gomez said. “We don’t see business slowing down and we don’t see it continuing to grow in popularity.”
Pokémon continues to be a top performer in this category, with card sales exceeding $1 billion last year. Circana says it is the first toy brand to reach that milestone in the United States. Sports cards are also becoming more popular, especially among teenage boys, with NFL packs leading the way.
“All kinds of people come to buy. There are adult collectors who buy for themselves, but there are also a lot of families with children who beg or ask their parents for trading cards,” Gomez said. “It’s a great gift for parents and children, especially those who are into sports and Pokémon.”
While modern releases are booming among people ages 8 to 28, vintage cards (usually from the 1970s and earlier) don’t connect as strongly with Gen Z and Gen Alpha collectors.
“The vast majority of my clients aren’t looking for vintage,” Matthew Winkelried, CEO of New York-based Bleecker Trading, told CNBC. “Young people don’t dig into 1960s cards unless they see Mickey Mantle or Hank Aaron. And the rarity and price of vintage cards makes it difficult to get into it.”
Arranged Topps trading cards for photo shoot in Richmond, Virginia.
Jay Paul | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Customer changes
After nearly collapsing due to overproduction in the 1990s, the trading card industry has been revived. Growth has been particularly strong since the pandemic, driven by a blend of nostalgia, community and, for some, investment potential.
For many people, cards provide a sense of belonging, whether it’s trading cards or playing games like Pokemon or Magic: The Gathering.
“Gamers are still around and it’s a very tight-knit community,” said Jason Howarth, senior vice president of marketing and athlete relations for Panini America, which supplies sports cards to retailers like Target and Walmart. “There’s a great sense of camaraderie among sports fans when it comes to trading. I’ve heard that when it comes to Pokémon, Game Night still plays a big role in keeping that ecosystem going.”
Bleecker Trading’s Winkelried said Pokemon cards are often a stronger investment than sports cards for those looking for cards as a store of value.
“Maybe a highly touted rookie joins the league and you buy a card early in hopes that the value of that card will go up,” he says. “The value can change from week to week. Just like stocks, it’s volatile.”
He added: “Pokémon is like a commodity. Pikachu doesn’t tear his anterior cruciate ligament or drink and drive. The market is more stable because the supply is limited.”
Major retailers are focused on building the category’s long-term future after the holiday season. Target is betting on limited sets, limited specialty drops and reaching a more diverse consumer base.
“We’re looking at not only reaching a wide age group with trading cards, but also reaching genders,” Gomez said.
That process is already underway. The WNBA is currently one of the fastest growing segments of sports cards, especially among young girls.
And soccer is about to get its next big thing, as the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
“Caitlin Clark, Paige Bakkers and Angel Reese have made incredible contributions to the WNBA trading card business,” Howarth said. “Come June, the U.S. market will be dominated by soccer. Fans already know global stars like Messi, but with the World Cup being held here, at least four or five players will see their popularity and recognition skyrocket.”
