In Hong Kong, collectible trading cards are shifting from entertainment to investment, with some players and merchants viewing rare cards as tradable assets; according to BBC, a "Ukiyo-e Pikachu" card once rose from HKD 1,000 to HKD 40,000.

32-year-old Hong Kong player Chan Long Hei stated that he purchased the card for HKD 1,000 in 2022, and the market price once reached HKD 40,000, an increase of about 40 times; he has been involved with cards for about 5 years, with a total investment of over HKD 160,000, transitioning from battling friends to focusing on prices and collection returns. Individual case prices do not represent the prices at which similar cards can be traded and do not prove stable investment returns.

Factors driving prices include not only rarity. The version language of the card, character popularity, condition, authenticity, issuance quantity, and buyer coverage can all affect transaction prices; interviewed store owners pointed out that Japanese version Pokémon cards can attract global buyers, with liquidity typically higher than the Chinese version targeting the Chinese-speaking market. Certification of condition by grading agencies can also significantly increase the trading price of certain cards.

High-value transactions globally have enhanced the narrative of cards as assets. In 2021, a Stephen Curry trading card sold for $5.9 million, setting a record for trading cards at that time; in 2022, Logan Paul purchased an "Illustrator Pikachu" Pokémon card for $5.3 million. Public reports also indicate that earlier this year, another "Illustrator Pikachu" sold for over $16 million, breaking the trading card record.

Market research firms indicate that the global collectible trading card market is expected to reach approximately $7.8 billion by 2025, growing to $12.86 billion by 2031. After the pandemic, trading card activity has surged, with one Hong Kong card shop reporting at least a 60% increase in sales; some local merchants hope to leverage trading activities, grading services, and cross-border buyers to establish Hong Kong as an Asian trading center for cards.

In terms of market mechanisms, buyers include players, collectors, grading arbitrageurs, and speculative funds chasing price increases; sellers include pack openers, inventory store owners, early holders, and market participants. New product restocks, IP popularity, grading results, and high-value transactions on social media can drive capital inflow; sellers holding rare Japanese versions, top-rated condition cards, and globally popular IP cards benefit relatively, while ordinary card holders relying on local buyers, unstable conditions, or expanded supply face liquidity discounts.

Source: Public Information