From Childhood Pikachu to “Underground Gold”: How Pokémon Cards Became a Capital Flight Tool for China’s Wealthy
From Childhood Pikachu to “Underground Gold”: How Pokémon Cards Became a Capital Flight Tool for China’s Wealthy For many in Hong Kong and across the Chinese-speaking world, Pokémon evokes pure childhood joy. The late 1990s anime, Game Boy games, and trading card swaps — that iconic phrase “Gotta catch ’em all” brings back memories of chasing Pikachu, collecting rare cards, and trading with friends. Back then, a common card was just a cheap toy worth a few dozen dollars, delivering friendship, adventure, and innocent fun. By 2026, however, these small pieces of cardboard have transformed into something far more serious: a favored tool for China’s affluent class to bypass strict foreign exchange controls. Japanese media and international reports highlight scenes in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, where groups of Chinese buyers line up early with paper bags or luxury totes, sweeping up PSA 10 (perfect grade) rare Pokémon cards before quickly reselling them for Japanese yen. On the surface, i...