There has been a surge of interest in Real-World Assets (RWAs) within TradFi and Web3, with many viewing them as DeFi’s prime collateral. However, is it possible that RWAs could also emerge as a groundbreaking development in the realm of NFTs?

Courtyard.io is one prominent project taking a stab at this. For instance, Courtyard has introduced a platform where collectors can buy packs containing graded Pokémon cards. These physical cards are securely stored and insured at Brink’s (a valuable goods management provider), while each purchase is represented by an NFT on the Polygon network.

Effectively, this process transforms physical cards into digital assets, with the NFT serving as a “redemption receipt” that allows the owner to claim the physical card whenever they wish. This surge in popularity led to a rise in trading activity within the Polygon network, as users eagerly opened their recently acquired packs directly on-chain.

Users acquired ‘Mystery Boxes’ that contained various Pokémon-themed virtual cards, which they could uncover through a virtual pack-ripping experience. All 175 Pokémon cards were swiftly claimed during a two-phase sale facilitated by Courtyard.io. These Pokémon card packs were available for just $5, which was likely a steal as they were housing multiples of valuable card editions dating back to the year 2000, which command $500 or more on the secondary markets right now.