Logan Paul is shaking up the world of investing by saying traditional finance missed the boat on Pokemon cards for decades. He claims these cards have crushed the stock market, outperforming it by over 3,000 percent in the last 20 years, thanks to Pokemon being the top-grossing franchise ever.[1][4]
Paul put his money where his mouth is back in 2021 when he dropped nearly 5.3 million dollars on the rarest Pokemon card out there: a PSA Grade 10 Pikachu Illustrator from a 1998 Japanese promo set.[1][2][5] This one-of-a-kind card, graded perfect by PSA, broke a Guinness World Record as the most expensive Pokemon card sold at the time.[1][2] He even got a custom diamond lanyard for it costing 75,000 dollars to wear it around his neck like a boss.[1][4]
Now, the WWE star and YouTuber is cashing in. He took a 2.5 million dollar advance from auction king Ken Goldin to put the card up for bids starting January 12 on Goldin Auctions.[2] Goldin thinks it could fetch between 7 and 12 million dollars, especially with Pokemon hitting its 30th anniversary in 2026 and grown-up fans ready to splurge.[2] Paul turned down a 7.5 million dollar buyout offer before, betting on even bigger gains.[2]
Why does Paul love Pokemon cards over stocks? He told Fox Business young investors should skip the usual paths like stocks or houses and go for fun alternatives that match their vibe.[1][3] Collectibles win because of scarcity, he says, but only if you chase the absolute best ones with super limited supply.[1] Millennials like him are pouring cash into trading cards instead of old-school art or bonds.[2][3]
Paul knows not every card holds value forever, so he sticks to top-tier gems.[1] His Pikachu is the holy grail: flawless grade, one in the world, from the early days of the game he grew up loving.[1][5] Even lower-grade versions go for over 80,000 dollars today.[3]
With the Pokemon market hotter than ever, Paul’s move has collectors buzzing and traditional investors scratching their heads.[2][4] He jokes that getting too much money as a kid at heart let him dump his whole net worth into his favorite game.[4] Auction time in early 2026 could prove if cards really beat Wall Street.
