In a world where Pikachu is now mightier than a prized rookie card, the realm of trading card grading has taken a charmingly quirky twist. Pokémon cards have officially become the apple of collectors’ eyes in 2025, asserting dominance over their sports card counterparts with a flamboyant flare. This uprising in pocket monster prestige is nothing short of a renaissance in the trading card universe.
New insights from GemRate reveal an extraordinary transformation within third-party grading companies. Picture this: 97 out of the top 100 most-graded cards at PSA, a respected grading entity, now carry the Pokémon name. It’s a certification sweep rarely seen in the collecting community, both bemusing and thrilling in equal measure. Meanwhile, the collective world of non-sport and TCG cards accounts for a whopping 59% of all grading submissions during the first six months of the year.
Delve deeper into the numbers, and the narrative weaves a spell. From January to June, a staggering 7.2 million TCG and non-sports cards received grades—a hefty 70% increase from the previous year. On the flip side, sports card submissions managed a humble 5.1 million, marking a disheartening 9% decrease. It seems the pigskin and faux leather have met their match—more accurately, their catch, scratch, or evolution.
Standing undefeated in the crowd of card favorites is the Japanese Iono’s Wattrel Battle Partners Promo No. 232, having garnered over 45,600 submissions. Yet, no character shines brighter than Pikachu. Over a colossal 345,000 graded Pikachu cards crossed PSA’s thresholds in 2025 alone, with the “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat”—spawned from a creative liaison with the Van Gogh Museum—deserving a Pikaclause of its own. Despite its sheer volume, instances of this card scoring a PSA 10 grade can still fetch over $900, echoing the adulation fans have for this electrifying icon.
In contrast, sports cards are grappling to make an impact. The scarce presence of only three sports cards in PSA’s top 100 submissions—two of which are Jayden Daniels rookie cards and a WNBA ROY card featuring Caitlin Clark—speaks volumes. Each saw submissions ranging from 8,800 to 10,500, a far cry from the Pokémon behemoths overshadowing them.
June’s submissions alone painted this evolving picture even clearer. TCG and non-sports cards comprised a lush 63% of the pie, with PSA grading 911,000 of these while total sports card submissions across all top grading entities lagged behind at 743,000. Talk about a trading card tsunami led by pint-sized Pokémon.
Amidst this surge of enthusiasm, CGC Cards rides high on the Pokémon wave. Having graded an incredible 2.18 million cards in 2025—nearly matching its entire 2024 output—over 1.8 million were beloved TCG or non-sports cards. Meanwhile, Beckett finds itself in the doldrums, ranking fourth among major grading agencies. Of its 366,000 cards graded so far, the majority—about 214,000—were Pokémon or TCG-related, spotlighting a definite shift in collector focus.
The glowing trail of PSA’s success can, in part, be traced to its fruitful partner-in-grading, GameStop. Since their fruitful collaboration in October, over 1 million grading submissions have been ushered through their doors, igniting the current Pokémon pandemonium.
In retail arenas, the Pokémon craze exhibits its full glory like a theatrical tome. Widespread sellouts, queues spilling into the streets, and tight purchase restrictions have become the new normal. Like a legendary Pokémon sighting, products disappear from shelves in the blink of an eye, and demand shows no signs of ebbing.
This feverish zeal for Pokémon cards resonates with collectors old and new, illustrated by their keen pursuit for that perfect grading score—the grail of any card collector. The trading card landscape in 2025 has aptly been captivated by the fusion of strategy, nostalgia, and the chance to capture a slice of history. Pokémon reigns supreme, and in this wild, whimsical journey, all we can do is follow the trail of glittering foil and hypnotic creatures.
