It seems many products completely outside of the TCG space are enthusiastically adopting the exact same “gambling” strategy we know so well. Usually, when you think of gambling, your mind goes straight to a casino, table games, or slots. But today, I’m seeing this mechanic heavily targeted at children's toys. You walk down any aisle and see various blind boxes : Disney toy boxes, Mini Brands, and countless others. But the one I’ve noticed lately comes in the form of Labubus . Now, I’m not the foremost expert on this subject—I can just speak from my own experience. These figures first caught my eye last year after hearing about them in news stories, on podcasts, and eventually, right at home from my own kids.
That was when I got my first-hand experience with the craze. It hit our local elementary schools so hard that the parents received a mass text warning us not to let our kids bring Labubus to school. Reading that message brought a massive wave of nostalgia; it reminded me exactly of my Pokémon card days when something very similar happened with school principals banning our binders. It wasn’t an issue for us at the time since my kids didn't own any, but a few birthdays later, Labubus were officially in our household, and I can honestly see the massive appeal.
The formula is incredibly similar to trading cards. You open sealed boxes and get a basic product, all while chasing the high of pulling a “secret” rare —in this case, a special color and ultra-rare Labubu. I could instantly relate. But here is where it differs: instead of getting a bunch of useless bulk cards like we do with TCGs, the kids didn’t care; they were just happy with whatever color they got. And the monetization is brilliant because now they can accessorize. They get tiny closets to hold the Labubu clothes, hunt down mini versions, and relentlessly chase new set versions as they release.
I was merely an observer until I discovered the cross-branded products, specifically the Labubu x One Piece crossover . Suddenly, they were using that exact same blind box gimmick but with One Piece character figures, and the ultimate chase was a Secret Rare Gear 5 Luffy Labubu . Now we’re talking. This was entirely more my speed, perfectly blending mainstream toy hype with a TCG IP that I actively track and invest in.
What initially used to seem like a silly product of toothy monster rabbits is now far more relatable to me. It's easy to judge from the outside, but many people think buying cardboard pieces of paper for hundreds or thousands of dollars is incredibly silly, too. As I’ve expanded my view on modern collectibles, it's clear this blind box niche is catching on and getting wider every single day. We actually wrote an article a while back about J.J. Abrams’ “Mystery Box” theory, and seeing it applied to these physical toys proves just how incredibly profitable monetizing human curiosity truly is.
Despite the undeniable boom of these mainstream blind boxes, my heart and my capital remain firmly rooted in trading cards. Out of all the alternative assets and collectibles in the world, the TCG market offers the most structured organization and deep price history required to make calculated financial moves. The Labubu craze is a fascinating case study on market psychology, but when it comes to building a strong, upward-trending portfolio, trading cards are where I’ll be staying.