The market for on-chain card games is growing rapidly

The market for on-chain card games is growing at a rapid pace. Platforms that tokenise physical collectible cards on the blockchain are seeing their combined trading volume explode in 2026. In the second quarter of 2026, volume peaked at $1.2 billion, while the current third quarter already stands at $718 million based on incomplete data. Total volume has thus grown by a factor of 11 compared with the start of 2025.

In brief:

• Quarterly volume of on-chain card games rose from $107 million in Q1 2025 to $1.2 billion in Q2 2026.
• Collector Crypt and Courtyard are the largest platforms in this segment.
• The current Q3 2026 is already at $718 million, although the quarter has not yet concluded.

From $107 million to $1.2 billion in six quarters

According to data from CryptoRank.io and Artemis, the segment started modestly in the first quarter of 2025 with a volume of $107 million. It has grown every quarter since: $161 million in Q2 2025, $326 million in Q3 2025 and $377 million in Q4 2025. In 2026, growth accelerated further, with $558 million in Q1 and a peak of $1.2 billion in Q2.

The growth is driven by a combination of four platforms: Collector Crypt and Courtyard are responsible for the lion’s share of the volume. Beezie and Renaiss Protocol are smaller but visible in the data. Collector Crypt is the largest player in most quarters, while Courtyard accounts for a significant portion.

Tokenisation, opening packs and gamified trading

The platforms in this segment convert physical collectible cards into digital tokens on the blockchain. Users can then trade these cards, open packs through so-called pack rips, or take part in gacha pulls, a system in which participants receive random items in exchange for a stake. This mechanism is popular in gaming and is now being combined with crypto and collecting culture.

CryptoRank describes the segment as an emerging consumer segment within crypto. According to the platform, the combination of collecting, tokenisation and game-oriented trading is causing this segment to slowly develop into a standalone niche within the broader crypto market.

Q3 2026 is still running, but volume is already substantial

The third quarter of 2026 has not yet been completed at the time of publication. The $718 million already recorded makes this quarter larger than any quarter before Q2 2026, despite the incomplete data. Whether the record of $1.2 billion will be matched or broken depends on the remaining weeks of the quarter.

This development fits within a broader trend in which physical collectibles gain a digital market through tokenisation. How this segment relates to other forms of regulation concerning digital assets, such as the new crypto rules currently being prepared by the SEC, remains unclear.