Digital asset company MemeStrategy (2440) has entered into the trading card market following the acquisition of collectible card brand Grade10.
The company said it will leverage Grade 10's brand equity to establish a strong presence in the trading card space, with plans to host trading card shows across key Asian markets, including Japan.
The purchase is expected to generate synergies with its sister company, 9GAG – a meme platform with over 200 million users worldwide, the firm said.
Grade10 is also scheduled to host its fourth Grade10 Festival card show in Wan Chai on November 22-23, which is expected to draw over 120 exhibitors and 20,000 attendees from around the world.
Grade10 is expected to launch an AI-powered card information platform at the event, providing real-time price inquiries and card background analysis to card enthusiasts. It also plans to offer the vault, a professional trading card storage service for card fans.
Hong Kong, as an international financial center with free trade policies, a simple tax regime, and a robust financial infrastructure, combined with a high degree of cultural openness, provides an ideal environment for the growth of alternative investment assets, said Ray Chan Chin-ching, chief executive of both MemeStrategy and Grade10.
The city is also home to the largest collector community in Asia's trading card sector, Grade10 said, citing industry insiders.
Leveraging this, Grade10 plans to establish Hong Kong as its headquarters for building a collectors association spanning the mainland and across Asia, seamlessly integrating pop culture with collectible cards, the company said.
The global trading card transaction market was valued at US$158 billion (HK$1.23 trillion) last year, and is projected to grow to US$235 billion by 2030 with an annual growth rate of more than 6 percent, according to a report by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.
