Collectibles market drives growth for eBay and outperforms financial indices

The collectibles market is showing significant growth, driven by items such as Pokémon cards, vinyl toys, and sports memorabilia. eBay has reported a 15% year-over-year revenue growth in the second quarter, supported by a 51% increase in net profit to $552 million. A key driver for this performance is eBay Live, a livestreaming platform that has seen its gross merchandise volume grow eightfold year-over-year across seven markets.

Data from the Rand Group indicates that collectibles are behaving as an asset class somewhat disconnected from traditional financial markets. Over the past three months, a Pokémon card index posted a 22.8% gain, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 4.7% advance and Bitcoin's 20.7% decline. Year-to-date, card indices have gained nearly 28%, compared to approximately 13% for the S&P 500.

Retail demand remains high, with Target reporting trading-card sales increases of nearly 70% during 2025. Market analysts attribute the rising interest to a combination of nostalgia among millennial and Gen Z consumers and the scarcity of high-grade vintage items.