In the epic battle for supremacy within the realm of collectible cards, Pokémon has achieved a seemingly insurmountable lead in 2025, blazing past its traditional competitor, sports cards. In a twist the likes of which even Ash Ketchum might not have foreseen, Pokémon cards now account for the vast majority of submissions to third-party grading companies, making for a rather interesting plot twist in the card collecting saga.
With data released by GemRate, it’s clear that Pokémon cards are not merely in vogue—they are the vanguard of the grading world. Of the top 100 most-graded cards at PSA, a staggering 97 are Pokémon cards. Non-sports and Trading Card Game (TCG) submissions have soared to represent 59% of all graded cards in the first semester of the year. This reflects a phenomenon that’s leaving sports card enthusiasts scratching their heads and Pokémon fans grinning like a Glameow who’s just caught sight of some cream.
Between January and June, a monstrous 7.2 million TCG and non-sports cards were given the white-glove treatment of grading, catapulting them into the realm of thoroughly authenticated collectibles. This represents a whopping 70% year-over-year increase. In contrast, sports card aficionados have taken a bit of a bench, submitting only 5.1 million cards, a figure that marks a 9% decline compared to the same time frame last year.
The year’s most graded card thus far is the Japanese Iono’s Wattrel Battle Partners Promo No. 232, with over 45,600 copies graded. Yet, if Pikachu could do a victory dance, he’d surely be at the forefront, as he remains the undisputed leader of the Pokémon pack with over 345,000 graded cards in just this year. The “Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat,” stemming from the collaborative collection with the Van Gogh Museum, represents the peak of this Pikachu parade, with nearly 84,000 graded examples—crowning it as PSA’s most heavily submitted Pokémon card. Despite the massive supply, these PSA 10 gems have fetched prices north of $900 in recent sales.
The plight of sports cards appears paltry in comparison, with just a trio making it to PSA’s esteemed top 100 list. Only the Panini Prizm Jayden Daniels rookie card (#347), the Panini Instant Caitlin Clark WNBA ROY card, and another Jayden Daniels card crafted by Donruss (#389) have managed to garner enough grading submissions, ranging from 8,800 to 10,500 each.
A closer look at June reveals that the tide shows no sign of turning. That month, TCG and non-sports cards accounted for 63% of all submissions, with PSA by itself grading 911,000, towering over the sports cards’ total of 743,000 across all four major grading companies.
CGC Cards too has been soaring on this Pikachu-powered zephyr. This year, they’ve graded 2.18 million cards, approaching their total output from the entirety of 2024. Of that, an impressive 1.8 million have been TCG or non-sports related.
However, dark clouds loom over Beckett, as they have been weathering a diminishing wave of popularity. Now trailing and hanging onto the fourth spot among major graders, Beckett has managed to grade 366,000 cards in 2025, of which about 214,000 have been Pokémon or TCG-focused.
PSA’s ascendancy is coupled with a strategic partnership with retail titan GameStop. This dynamic alliance, initiated in October, has taken in over a million grading submissions, igniting a further inferno of demand and submissions.
On the retail battleground, Pokémon’s charm offensive is as effective as ever. Swift sellouts, long customer lines, and limitations on purchases per customer are commonplace as new releases are snatched off racks faster than a Rapidash on the run. The ceaseless demand underscores Pokémon’s powerful hold on the trading card hobby, hinting that this TCG dominance is not just a passing trend but potentially here for the long haul.
The ascendancy of Pokémon cards in the grading queues highlights a seismic shift in collector interests, with the energy and pickups of Pikachu and pals leaving little doubt about their lead. As the anticipatory buzz continues to crescendo into 2025, Pokémon’s vibrant universe blurs the once-clear lines between sports and TCG in an incredibly competitive collectible card market. Pokémon fans, both nostalgic and new, can revel in their favorite franchise’s uncontested grip on the hobby.
