How one Singapore family is chasing a million-dollar Pokemon dream

SINGAPORE - Mr Andy Chua’s first profitable Pokemon card sale made him look at the hobby differently.

The 35-year-old operations executive in a shipping firm had bought a card for $125 in 2025 and, two months later, sold it for $500.

He went on to buy a Van Gogh Pikachu card, a collaboration between Pokemon and Van Gogh Museum, for $1,800 in September 2025. He says it is now worth more than $4,000.

“After I sold some of my cards and made a profit, I realised this could become a source of side income,” he says.

Mr Chua roped in his brother, nephew and cousin to start Pokemakase, a family-run venture that buys, sells and trades Pokemon cards.

For the past seven months, the group has been setting up booths at trading card shows, joining a growing number of collectors trying to turn their collections into a small business.

Mr Chua says he was drawn into the business after he saw how quickly some cards could appreciate in value.

In 2025, he started going to trading card shows after a friend became a vendor. The crowds and the money changing hands convinced him the market was taking off.

Seeing the business potential, he decided to start trading too. As he has a full-time job, he roped in his nephew Glenn Chua, 22, who is waiting to start his accountancy degree programme in August.

His brother, Gab Chua – Glenn’s father – and cousin Bryan Leong later joined the venture as well.

Each of them chipped in $2,500 as capital to purchase cards and pay for the rental of booths, says Mr Gab Chua, 43, who is an interior designer.

Mr Andy Chua adds: “We started out buying lower-value cards of about $100 to $200 and we would sell them when the value of those cards went up after a few months.”

The family started with fewer than 50 cards and used sales profits to expand their inventory. Decisions on which cards to sell or hold are made collectively.

They declined to reveal the value of their current collection or how much they have earned so far.

Mr Leong, 41, who works as a shipping agent, says sourcing for cards can be time-consuming.

“I’ve had to travel from my home in Tampines to Jurong just to close a deal.”

The family also sources for cards through social platforms and community groups and says the venture has made them grow closer. Mr Leong says he has also bonded with his 14-year-old son, who helps source for Pokemon cards.

The family is already thinking bigger. It is looking for a retail space and hopes eventually to formalise the business, especially if the authorities move to regulate the trading card market.

“We want to grow our $10,000 investment into $1 million. We don’t know how long it will take,” says Mr Andy Chua.

Asked if they worry the market could be a bubble, the family says demand remains strong.

Mr Glenn Chua believes nostalgia is driving much of the boom, with adult collectors now willing to spend heavily on cards tied to their childhoods.

“These are things people grew up with,” he says. “Now they have spending power and they’re bringing money into the ecosystem. Demand is there, while supply is still limited.”

Mr Gab Chua says the family is not overly concerned because “our investment is not huge”.

“As long as demand stays higher than supply, the business will thrive,” adds Mr Leong.