Pokémon cards have evolved from a children's collectible into a multibillion-dollar market, with some buyers increasingly treating the cards as an alternative investment alongside traditional assets. Exactly how large the Pokémon card market is remains difficult to estimate because trading is spread across decentralized dealer networks, local card shops, online marketplaces and conventions. The card market also posted notable growth compared to the S&P 500. While the S&P 500 Index managed to climb up the market ladder by roughly 13%, the Pokémon card index gained about 28% year-to-date as per CoinDesk data. On headline returns, Pokémon cards have therefore comfortably beaten both Bitcoin and the S&P 500 so far this year.