In the world of card collecting, the year 2025 has become a hallmark moment for trading card games (TCG), as Pokémon cards swoop in to seize dominance over the realm traditionally ruled by sports cards. Once limited to the niche corners of the collecting hobby, Pokémon has not only captured the imagination of enthusiasts but has also decisively taken control of the grading arena.
According to data freshly minted by GemRate, Pokémon cards have etched their place at the pinnacle of grading supremacy, with a staggering 97 out of the top 100 most-graded cards at Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) belonging to this ever-evolving franchise. This seismic shift in the terrain of collectibles underscores a broader transformation, where non-sports and TCG cards now dominate, accounting for 59% of all graded submissions across all four major authenticating firms during the initial half of the year.
The numbers paint a vivid picture. Between January and June, a jaw-dropping total of 7.2 million TCG and non-sports cards got their Grade A verification, showcasing a robust 70% year-over-year spike. In stark contrast, their sporty counterparts witnessed a dip, with submissions totaling a mere 5.1 million — a decline by 9%.
Interestingly, a stand-out performer in this collectible upheaval is the Japanese Iono’s Wattrel Battle Partners Promo No. 232, reigning as the most-graded single card of the year, with over 45,600 copies making the cut at PSA. Yet, it remains clear that Pikachu continues to illuminate the path forward for Pokémon, with over 345,000 graded examples of the electric mouse bouncing into submission baskets in 2025. Leading this charge is the “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat”, born out of collaboration with the van Gogh Museum. This card has not merely captured hearts—it has captured history, with nearly 84,000 copies bearing PSA grades, ascending to the most-submitted Pokémon card status under PSA’s watchful eyes. Intriguingly, despite its abundant availability, copies graded a perfect ten are no strangers to fetching $900 or more.
Meanwhile, sports cards, traditionally the stalwarts of card collecting, find themselves gasping for air in this saturated Pokémon pool, with only three cards managing to crack into PSA’s top 100. These include, most notably, the 2024 Panini Prizm Jayden Daniels rookie, riding the wave alongside the 2024 Panini Instant Caitlin Clark WNBA ROY card and yet another iteration of panels featuring Jayden Daniels from Donruss. Each managed to draw between 8,800 and 10,500 submissions—pale shadows in the face of the Pokémon juggernaut.
An analysis of June’s submission trends hammers home the phenomenon, revealing TCG and non-sports cards constituting a dominant 63% of total submissions. PSA alone graded an imposing 911,000 within this category, comfortably exceeding the competitor sport card tallies, which altogether accounted for 743,000 submissions across all authenticators.
Amidst this shuffle, companies like CGC Cards are riding high on the Pokémon crest. With an output fastening shy of 2.18 million graded cards in 2025 alone—nearly reaching its total 2024 production— the company stands testament to this booming sector. Out of its graded batch, over 1.8 million carry Pokémon lineage or TCG ties. Meanwhile, Beckett, once a heavyweight, finds itself waning, having graded just 366,000 cards, of which a little more than half embrace the Pokémon or TCG label.
This escalation is not without strategic plays from industry giants. PSA’s outreach, for instance, is cleverly leveraged through its partnership with GameStop. Launched in the bygone chapters of October, this venture funneled over a million grading submissions into PSA’s headquarters, directly fueling this unrelenting surge.
On high streets and store aisles, Pokémon’s allure leads to spiraling demand, rendering shelves perennially starved of stock. Such frenzy has retail outlets grappling with sellouts, snaking lines, and customer limits per purchase, all signs that Pokémon’s grip on the collectors’ imagination is stronger than ever. As new releases are snapped up in a blink, enthusiasts and investors watch this saga unfold, knowing full well that the hobby’s landscape has undeniably entered a fresh evolutionary phase.
