U.S. cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase is preparing to enter the Pokémon Trading Card Game market. The company recently teased a digital pack-opening service that will let users open card packs directly from their phones. Every card pulled will be backed by a real physical card, which can either be stored in a digital vault or shipped straight to the user.
In a promotional post published on September 28, 2026, Coinbase wrote: “Your binder is about to get a major upgrade. Open packs right from your phone, with every pull backed by a real physical card. Keep it in the vault or have it shipped straight to you.” While the post did not name Pokémon directly, its promotional image clearly featured a mock card pack bearing the “Pokémon” name.
Coinbase also hinted in the replies that more unannounced features could be coming beyond digital pack openings and vault storage. It remains unclear how the service will connect with the company’s cryptocurrency business, however. Details such as where the physical cards will come from, how they will be authenticated, and how ownership will be verified have yet to be announced.
The model is not entirely new. GameStop’s Power Packs already offers digital pack openings, allowing customers to store pulled cards in a PSA digital vault, request delivery of the physical cards, or sell them back instantly and use the balance to purchase more packs.
Coinbase is entering the market as Pokémon’s 30th anniversary continues to drive demand among card collectors. Recent commemorative pack launches have drawn large crowds at retailers including Target, where customers have even used unattended chairs to hold their places in line—another sign of the intense demand currently surrounding physical Pokémon cards.
via： Dexerto