On October 28, live shopping platform Whatnot​ raised 225M in Series F funding,reaching a 11.5B valuation. Founded in 2019 in Los Angeles, Whatnot initially focused on trading card auctions (TCGs)​ via livestreams, competing with eBay by integrating cross-platform sales and algorithmic pricing. It later expanded to fashion, sneakers, and global markets​ (Canada, Europe), riding the 2021 trading card boom.Meanwhile, Hasbro’s Magic: The Gathering​ drove 90% of its Q3 profit, fueled by IP crossovers like Final Fantasy(¥200M/day) and upcoming Marvel’s Spider-Man(Nov). Japan’s TCG market also thrives: 20–39-year-olds​ (30% male, 20% female) drive growth, with new fans joining yearly​ for collecting, IPs, and unboxing.Key trends:

• •Japan: Pokémon TCGdominates (TOP5: 4 spots), Yu-Gi-Oh!and Hololive OCGrise. Happinet’s survey​ shows adult demand surging.
• •Bandai: Gundam GCG(673B yen sales, +21%) launched globally, with tournaments in Bilibili World, Europe. One Piece OCGadopts new 2026 formats.
• •Tomy: Duel Masters(VTuber collabs) and Disney Lorcana(female-focused) attract diverse players.