The just-concluded Grade10 Festival, drawing a record 23,000 attendees to Hong Kong's bustling convention hall in Wan Chai, underscored the territory's ascent as Asia's go-to hub for collectors chasing everything from vintage Pokémon rarities to autographed NBA gems. Amid the frenzy, a towering wall of Pikachu cards — each a PSA10 homage to Vincent van Gogh — stole the show, symbolizing how pop culture nostalgia is blending with high-stakes investment in the world's fastest-growing collectibles market.
The event's centerpiece was a world-first installation: over 400 PSA 10-graded "Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat" cards, stacked into a mosaic valued at around HK$5 million (US$641,000). Originally released in 2023 as part of a special Pokémon collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the card pays homage to Van Gogh's Self‑Portrait with Grey Felt Hat, reinterpreted with Pikachu wearing the artist's signature grey felt hat — a cheeky fusion of 19th century genius and 21st century mascot mania. Four such cards, including two flawless PSA 10s, were given out through on-site participation.
Hong Kong's trading card scene is fast becoming a barometer for a regional boom. The global market, valued at US$11.4 billion in 2024, is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 5% through 2033, with Asia-Pacific leading the charge thanks to anime fever and esports crossover. Grading volumes in Hong Kong now rival Chinese Mainland's entire output, per local retailer HobbyX, while tax-free imports and global connectivity make the city a magnet for deal-makers. "I traveled to Hong Kong for the festival because of its strong market growth and unique position as a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures," said James Bui of U.S. exhibitor JayBee Collectibles, one of more than 120 international exhibitors at Grade10 — a new high for the territory. "The city's diverse selection of collectible cards and increasing number of collectors, along with low taxes and convenient transportation, make it an ideal hub for trading cards in Asia."
Overseas participation was notable, with 20% of attendees traveling from outside Hong Kong, among them world‑renowned collector Nick Uliano from the United States. Uliano, celebrated for his extensive Michael Jordan collection, specializes in one‑of‑one rarity cards and autographed Buyback cards reissued by publishers. Commenting on the event, he said: "The 'Grade10 Festival' is a rare large-scale card event in Asia, and its scale and card diversity are impressive. It brings together top collectors and exhibitors from around the world, and I am delighted to participate in person in this international-level collecting event."
That sentiment echoed through the festival's packed aisles, where 60% of the floor space pulsed with anime icons — Pokémon, Dragon Ball, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh! — and the rest bowed to sports cards from basketball to soccer.
The festival featured dedicated zones, including areas for grading, gameplay, networking, trading, and the Threads interactive experience. As the first major event jointly supported by publicly listed virtual asset venture MemeStrategy (Stock Code:2440.HK) and online meme platform 9GAG with 200 million users worldwide, the festival introduced the "Threads Wall", developed by 9GAG in collaboration with Meta's Threads. The installation proved a major attraction, drawing influencers and generating high levels of on‑site and online engagement.
Beneath the frenzy lies serious economics. Asia's collectibles surge — from Labubu's to serialized Pokémon merch — has minted millionaires overnight, with cards like the Illustrator Pikachu fetching six figures. Hong Kong, with its free-port status and proximity to manufacturing powerhouses, is positioning itself as the nexus. As Ray Chan, CEO of event backer MemeStrategy Inc., put it amid the post-festival buzz, "Hong Kong isn't just hosting; it's connecting worlds — Japan's IPs to America's collectors, culture to capital."
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About MemeStrategy
MemeStrategy (Stock Code: 2440.HK) is Asia's first publicly listed digital asset venture, managed by the team behind 9GAG, a globally acclaimed meme platform with over 200 million users. Leveraging its social media and Web3 expertise, MemeStrategy adopts a people-first approach to strategically invest in three key growth pillars: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, and Culture, aiming to bridge the new economy with traditional finance and accelerate the development of decentralized technologies.
About Grade10
Grade10 was founded in 2023 to unite Hong Kong's trading card industry and collector community. Over the years, it has grown into the city's premier platform for card enthusiasts and industry professionals. Grade10 is a division of MemeStrategy (Stock Code: 2440.HK), a publicly listed company founded by the team behind 9GAG, a global social platform with over 200 million users worldwide. Since becoming part of MemeStrategy in September 2025, Grade10 has embarked on a new phase of growth, positioning Hong Kong as the festival's annual home and establishing Grade10 as the leading touring event for collectible trading cards and related cultural treasures across Asia. In the collecting world, "Grade 10" signifies the highest standard of excellence. True to its name, the Grade10 Card Show brings fresh energy and opportunities to Asia's collectibles market - offering passionate enthusiasts a vibrant platform to connect, exchange, and showcase their prized collections, while exploring new horizons together with fellow collectors.
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