Pokémon NFTs bring the excitement of opening packs to Web3 by enabling collectors to buy and “rip” digital packs containing tokenized Pokémon cards that represent their physical equivalents, which are held in a secure vault.
That means you no longer have to head to your local shop to buy booster packs in the hope of getting a rare card. Now, you can just log on to Magic Eden and start ripping packs online… no traveling required.
Read on to learn all about Pokémon NFTs, from how Pokémon cards are tokenized to how you can collect them on marketplaces like Magic Eden and more.
Pokémon NFTs are digital representations of physical, redeemable Pokémon cards held in secure vaults. They enable you to collect and trade cards online, with the option to get your hands on their physical-card-equivalents if you want them.
This is made possible through a process called tokenization of real-world assets.
Tokenization, in the context of blockchain tech, refers to the process of turning ownership rights of real-world assets (in this case, Pokémon cards) into digital tokens that can be transferred and traded online and stored in digital wallets.
Here’s how tokenizing physical Pokémon cards to turn them into NFTs works:
First, the Pokémon physical cards are sent to be professionally graded by services like PSA, BGS and SGC, which establish the card’s condition and authenticity.
After grading, the cards are stored in secure vaults that follow institutional-grade custody standards. At these facilities, each card undergoes an extensive documentation process that includes high-resolution imaging, a detailed condition assessment and a unique identification number.
Finally, the equivalent NFT for each card is minted onchain using smart contracts and token standards to create tradable, tokenized Pokémon cards.
Collecting Pokémon NFTs is easy, especially with Magic Eden. Here’s how it works:
First, you need an account on the Magic Eden marketplace.
Click on the ‘Log In’ button at the top of the page, where you’ll be asked to provide your email to complete the account setup. Alternatively, you can just connect your crypto wallet.
If your connected wallet doesn’t have any crypto in it, transfer or buy USDC on Solana. You’ll need to have some to buy Pokémon NFT Packs on Magic Eden.
You can also cross-chain swap the crypto you have to USDC on Solana using the Magic Eden Swap feature, which makes it super easy to get your hands on USDC.
Browse Pokémon NFTs for sale on Magic Eden’s Packs dashboard.
You can use the search option or click ‘Pokemon’ in the upper right corner to jump to our Pokemon-specific Packs.
Once you’ve decided on your pack, click on it.
Here you can see the pack’s information, including the purchase price and drop rates. You can buy it by clicking on the ‘Buy Pack’ button—just make sure to tick the box next to ‘I agree to the Packs Terms of Service’ first!
To complete the purchase, go ahead and approve the transaction in your wallet.
Once you have purchased your pack, click it to tear it open.
Within a few seconds, you’ll see your Pokémon card pop out of the pack, and the card's market value and other details will immediately be displayed.
Now, you can choose to keep your tokenized Pokémon card in your NFT collection, list it on the marketplace (to potentially get a higher price for it) or select the instant payout option by clicking ‘Take Payout’ if you’d like to use the money to try your luck again.
You can also redeem your Pokémon NFT to receive the physical card. This is handled through our partner, Collector Crypt.
And that’s how you can rip Pokémon NFT Packs on Magic Eden!
Instead of trying to get a hit by ripping open a Pokémon NFT Pack, you could also purchase the card you’d like on the Magic Eden marketplace directly. This method has its benefits and drawbacks: You’ll know exactly what card you're getting, but you’ll likely have to pay more for it than you would if you pulled it right from a Pack.
For this method, you’d follow the same steps as above: setting up an account, connecting your wallet to the marketplace and accessing the Packs dashboard. From there, you can click into the Pack you’re interested in and take a look at the top and recent pulls to see if one fits your collection and price range.
Alternatively, you can access the Collector Crypt marketplace on Magic Eden, where you will find all listed tokenized Pokémon cards.
Now, you can choose to buy a Pokémon card NFT at its posted price, bid against other buyers, or make an offer for an unlisted item that will expire at a set time (ranging from 15 minutes to 1 year).
For example, you could make an offer on the iconic Pikachu with a Grey Felt Hat promo card, which rose to notoriety when it was sold at the Van Gogh Museum in 2023 as a part of a limited Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum collection that celebrated the Dutch painter’s 170th birthday and the museum’s 50th anniversary.
Or if you’re looking for something a little more affordable, you could get something like a Japanese Pyroar card.
While the card hasn’t been listed by the holder, you can make an offer on it (which they'll receive) in the chance that they might accept.
To do that, click on ‘Make an Offer,’ and type in the amount of SOL you’d like to offer for the card. Then, click on ‘Submit Item Offer’ and wait for your offer to be accepted.
And that’s how easy it is to get your hands on exactly the card you want to complete your master set!
Now, let’s take a look at how you can list and sell your tokenized Pokémon cards.
If you want to list your Pokémon NFTs for sale, here’s how to do it on Magic Eden:
Click on your Magic Eden profile to view your NFTs. There, you’ll pick out the Pokémon NFTs you want to sell. Click on it to view all its data.
Click ‘List’ and choose how much you want to list your Pokémon card for. You can choose between SOL, USDC and ME as the listing currency.
Once you’ve decided on a price you’d be happy to sell it for, click ‘List 1 Item.’
Confirm your listing by signing it with your connected crypto wallet.
And that’s it! Now, all you have to do is wait for an offer.
Becoming a part of the tokenized Pokémon ecosystem can be a whole lot of fun, provided you take a smart approach and think before you click.
Here are some top tips to help get you started with collecting Pokémon card NFTs.
Before you buy your first Pokémon NFT, think about what your goals are. You should consider whether you’re collecting just for fun or if you’re aiming to flip cards for a potential profit. Your goals will guide your strategy.
Learn to identify key rarity traits and popular Pokémon, like Charizard and Pikachu. Getting your hands on rare cards is the name of the game if you’re looking for your collection to potentially grow in value over time.
What’s hot and trending today may not be tomorrow. Tools like rarity trackers and floor-price alerts can help you monitor the market and stay ahead of trends in the NFT market.
But in the case of collecting tokenized Pokémon cards, you’ll also need to keep an eye on Pokémon card market analytics platforms like the Pokémon TCG Card Database to know what your physical cards are going for.
Once you buy a Pokémon NFT, you should store it in a safe place. For long-term storage, a hardware wallet like a Ledger is a good choice.
If you’re looking to trade them, or don’t feel like putting your Pokémon NFTs in cold storage, then popular Web3 wallets (like Magic Eden’s) are the way to go. Whatever you do, never share your seed phrase with anyone… ever.
Pokémon NFTs are a growing niche that have already made a big impact across Web3.
This past October, on the weekend following the Pokémon NFT Pack launch on Magic Eden, over 100,000 packs were ripped and over $10 million was traded.
Packs are a hit, breathing fresh life into the NFT market which will likely attract more people to collect tokenized Pokémon cards online.
If you want to start collecting Pokémon digitally (and relive the childhood joy of ripping open a card pack), it’s easier than ever to get started. With Magic Eden, you have the perfect partner to help you grow, or start, your Pokémon card collection.
Explore Pokémon NFT Packs and catch ’em all in a whole new way on Magic Eden.
You can buy Pokémon card NFTs from online marketplaces that specialize in NFTs and digital collectibles. Magic Eden, for example, offers a wide array of redeemable Pokémon card NFTs that can be either purchased in NFT Packs or directly on the marketplace.
By themselves, physical Pokémon cards are not NFTs. They can become NFTs once they’ve been professionally graded for authenticity, securely vaulted, and digitally minted in a 1:1 ratio. The digital Pokemon Packs that you open on Magic Eden, for example, are NFTs.
Yes, you can turn your own Pokémon cards into NFTs. To do so, you must get your physical card professionally graded and stored in a recognized vault facility. A service provider then mints the NFT on a supporting blockchain, linking it to your vaulted card. You’ll then receive your Pokémon card as an NFT, which you can then securely store in a crypto wallet or sell on a marketplace like Magic Eden.
The information provided on this website is provided for general educational purposes only and is in no way financial or investment advice. Certain information may have also been provided to us or prepared by third parties; these materials are provided for convenience and are not an endorsement by Magic Eden. Magic Eden is not liable for any errors, changes or amendments to such information, including any actions taken in reliance on such information.
