Hashed, a global venture capital firm focused on blockchain, artificial intelligence and content, is partnering with Shard Lab, a subsidiary of Thailand’s CP Group, and The Concept Labs to bring Collectible Con to South Korea for the first time.

The event will bring collectors, sellers, brands, creators and distributors together around trading cards and other collectible products. More than 50 sellers are expected to participate, creating a marketplace for established collections as well as emerging offerings.

Collectible Con Seoul is intended to serve as a meeting point for collectors and industry participants by combining physical trading, authentication services, educational programming and access to global collectible brands and products. The exhibition will feature trading card games and collectibles linked to Pokémon, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic: The Gathering and Disney Lorcana. Sports cards, designer toys, animation merchandise and artworks will also be available.

Collectors will be able to inspect and trade rare individual cards, unopened vintage products, graded cards and limited-edition items. Organizers are also planning live pack-opening sessions, card appraisal and authenticity certification services, as well as dedicated areas where collectors can exchange products directly. These services give participants opportunities to evaluate a card’s condition and authenticity alongside the buying and selling activity.

Eight Sessions to Explore the Collectibles Industry

In addition to buying and selling, Collectible Con Seoul will host panel discussions and lectures examining the broader collectibles industry. Eight sessions are expected to bring together sellers, grading companies, brands and community representatives.

Topics will include market trends, card valuation, storage, transactions and the future development of collector communities. The program is designed to address both the commercial and community dimensions of the expanding collectibles market.

The event will attract domestic and international collectors, overseas brands, distributors, artists and creators. Their participation is expected to give Korean collectors greater access to international products while providing global participants with an opportunity to engage with one of Asia’s increasingly active collectible markets.

South Korea Gains Importance in Trading Cards

Collectible Con was first held in Bangkok, Thailand, in May, attracting about 4,000 visitors. Seoul was selected as the second location as organizers expand the event into a market where demand for trading cards and collectibles has accelerated.

According to reports, South Korea ranked third globally in eBay trading card sales during the first quarter of the year, up from 10th place in 2024. The change underscores the country’s increasing role in the international trading-card market.

Domestic trading activity has also grown sharply. Data from Korean secondhand marketplace Carrot showed that transactions involving Pokémon and One Piece cards increased by 1,114% and 10,605%, respectively, during the three months from June through August compared with the same period a year earlier.

Activity has also increased on limited-edition marketplace Cream. Trading-card transactions on the platform reportedly rose about 208 times between January and July compared with the corresponding period last year.

The rise in trading activity across domestic and international platforms indicates that collectible cards are expanding beyond a niche hobby into a larger consumer and alternative-asset market in South Korea.

Seoul Event to Run Alongside East Point: Seoul 2026

Collectible Con Seoul is scheduled to take place at Seoul Stage X Seongsu Chabot from Oct. 2 to Oct. 3, alongside East Point: Seoul 2026. The venue will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and admission will be free for registered visitors.

Participants can enter with a QR code issued after completing preregistration through the event’s official website. Information is available from Hashed at Shard Lab at The Concept Labs at and CoinTrust at https://www.cointrust.com/market-news/collectible-con-seoul-to-showcase-koreas-booming-card-market.

The Seoul edition comes as collectible markets increasingly combine physical communities, digital marketplaces, authentication services and professional trading infrastructure. By bringing sellers, brands, creators and collectors together at one venue, organizers are positioning Collectible Con as more than a conventional trading event.

For collectors and industry participants, the event is expected to offer access to rare products, professional authentication, market information and direct trading opportunities while strengthening ties between South Korea’s growing collector community and international brands.