Target and Walmart trading cards grow like the NFL for the holiday season

With screen time on the rise and technology racing ahead, the low-tech hobby is back in a big way: collecting trading cards.

Cards depicting everything from iconic NFL characters to Pokémon and even Taylor Swift are one of the hottest toy categories in stores this year. Major retailers are stocking up ahead of the holidays, anticipating that demand will extend beyond traditional toy buyers such as children and collectors.

“We see trading cards as a popular gifting category for all ages, which we will provide with novelty and exclusive gifts,” Rick Gomez, the goal Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer told CNBC. “We will have new releases almost every week during the holidays which will increase demand. These make great gifts and great stocking stuffers.”

Sales of strategic trading cards — which exclude sports games — were up 103% year-to-date through August, while sales of non-strategic cards, which tend to be popular culture or sports collectible cards, were up 48%, according to market research firm Circana.

Target’s trading card sales are up nearly 70% year to date, and annual revenue from the category is expected to reach $1 billion.

Sales on some online platforms are rising faster. Walmart Marketplace reported a 200% jump in trading card sales from February 2024 to June 2025, with Pokémon sales rising more than tenfold year over year during the same period, the company first told Axios. The retailer has launched a new weekly livestream series focusing on sports collectibles.

Since 2021, strategic card sales have grown by $891 million, or 139%, to a total of $1.5 billion, according to Circana. Circana said sales of non-strategic cards and collectible stickers rose $565 million, or 156%, to $925 million in the same period.

Millennial and Gen Z customers have been crucial to the growth, said Julie Lynette, vice president and industry advisor for Circana’s U.S. gamification.

“A lot of adults buy these things because it takes them back to a time when they didn’t have a care in the world,” Lynette said. “It’s an affordable luxury in the economy right now. Some couldn’t afford the cards when they were kids and now they have their own money and there’s no one to say ‘no.'”

Some buyers also treat the cards as alternative investments. The Wall Street Journal reported that through August, the value of Pokémon cards had a cumulative return of 3,821% since 2004, according to an index from analytics firm Card Ladder. To combat online sellers, many stores now limit purchases to two packages per customer.

While the trading card category has boomed this year, not everyone is convinced that the segment will boost sales during the peak holiday shopping season. Over the past six months, 19% of adults said they bought Pokemon cards for themselves, suggesting they may not buy them for others in the coming weeks, according to Circana.

“There has been steady growth in this category, but a large segment of buyers are buying for themselves. There are not as many gifts here as you see in other games,” Lynette said.

What trading cards may lack in holiday flair, they make up for in consistency.

The cards stand out from most gaming categories in two main ways: They’re often self-purchased and aren’t “super seasonal,” Lynette said.

“Cards are sold in March or July as well as in December,” she said. “This makes it very attractive to retailers trying to offset seasonal risks.”

Target, which often gets a boost from holiday-related merchandise, has tried to capitalize on year-round enthusiasm for the cards.

“We expanded our assortment. We increased the number of drops we had available. We put the trading cards in a more prominent place in the store, we made a bolder display and the company responded,” Gomez said. “We don’t see the business slowing down and we see its popularity continuing to grow.”

Pokémon remains the top performer in the category, with card sales surpassing $1 billion last year — the first gaming brand to achieve that milestone in the U.S., according to Circana. Sports cards are also becoming more popular, especially among teenage boys, with NFL packs leading the charge.

“A lot of different people come in to buy. There’s your adult collector who’s buying for themselves, but we also see a lot of families coming in with kids ordering them and asking their parents for trading cards,” Gomez said. “It’s a great gift for parents and kids, especially if they know they’re interested in sports or Pokemon.”

While contemporary releases thrive among 8- to 28-year-olds, vintage cards — typically dating from before the 1970s — haven’t connected as strongly with Gen Z and Gen Alpha collectors.

“The majority of my customers are not looking for vintage,” Matthew Winkelried, CEO of New York-based Bleecker Trading, told CNBC. “Young people don’t want to look at 1960s cards unless they see Mickey Mantle or Hank Aaron. Plus, the scarcity and prices of vintage cards make them a difficult entry point.”

After a near collapse in the 1990s due to overproduction, the trading card industry has rebounded. Growth has been particularly strong since the pandemic, driven by a combination of nostalgia, community and, for some, investment potential.

For many, cards provide a sense of belonging – whether that’s through exchanging cards or playing a game like Pokémon or Magic: The Gathering.

“You still have the game players, and that’s a really close-knit community,” said Jason Howarth, senior vice president of marketing and sports relations at Panini America, which supplies retailers like Target and Walmart. “Among sports fans, there’s a great sense of camaraderie around trading. And with Pokémon as well, I’ve heard that game nights still play a major role in keeping that ecosystem alive.”

For those who look to cards as a store of value, Pokemon cards often prove to be a stronger investment than their sports counterparts, said Bleecker Trading’s Winkelried.

“Maybe a very popular rookie player joins the league, and you buy his card early and hope it goes up in value,” he said. “The value can change from week to week. It’s as volatile as stocks.”

“Pokemon is like a commodity. Pikachu can’t tear his ACL or get a DUI. Supply is limited, so the market is more stable,” he added.

Looking beyond the holidays, major retailers are focused on building the category’s long-term future. The goal is to bet on exclusive collections, limited specialty drops, and attract a more diverse customer base.

“We’re looking to reach not only a breadth of age with trading cards, but also gender,” Gomez said.

This process is already underway. The WNBA is now one of the fastest growing segments in sports cards, especially among young girls.

And with the 2026 FIFA World Cup taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, football is poised to boom next.

“Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reyes have done wonders for the WNBA trading card business,” Howarth said. “Once June comes, soccer will take over the American market. Fans already know international stars like Messi, but with the World Cup here, at least four or five players will skyrocket in popularity and recognition.”