Are Pokémon Cards a Safer Bet Than Speculative Tech Stocks?
If you are looking for investments that might hold up better than wild tech stock rides, Pokémon cards could be worth a closer look. Tech stocks like those in hot startups or meme-driven companies can skyrocket one day and crash the next, driven by hype, news, or market moods. Pokémon cards, on the other hand, have shown steady long-term growth, especially for sealed products like booster boxes.
Think about booster boxes from the Sun and Moon era. Someone recently bought the top 20 singles cards from every set in that era for just $15,040 total. Compare that to the booster boxes themselves, which have climbed to an average of $418 each by late 2025. That creates a huge gap, around $230,000 in value difference across those sets.[1] Booster boxes have outperformed the combined value of their top singles over time, even including weaker cards in the top 20 that do not grow much.[1]
The ratio between booster box prices and top singles keeps shifting in favor of the boxes. In Scarlet and Violet or Sword and Shield sets, top 20 singles were worth 165% more than booster boxes back in August 2025, then 172%, and up to 185% later.[1] But over longer periods, boxes pull ahead because they hold value as sealed collectibles. Sure, a single chase card might explode in price, like the rare one a GameStop customer in Texas traded for over $30,000 in their record deal.[2] Those hits happen, but they are rare.
Speculative tech stocks often bet on unproven ideas or company drama. Pokémon cards tie into a loyal fanbase, nostalgia, and limited supply from older sets. New sets keep coming, but vintage or mid-era sealed products like Sun and Moon boxes stay undervalued at first, then grow reliably.[1] This makes them less volatile for patient collectors.
Not every Pokémon investment wins. Some booster boxes flop, and singles can sit unsold.[1] Still, the overall trend in the hobby points to solid growth, even when ignoring short-term hype. For folks tired of tech stock swings, stacking a few sealed boxes might feel like a calmer path.
