There is no denying that Pikachu is the most popular Pokémon in the franchise, yet the Electric-type mouse is neck-and-neck with another character in the "Pokémon Trading Card Game."
While Pikachu was not overtaken in terms of popularity, a new report says that the No. 25 Pokémon in the National Dex is seeing significant competition as the "most-graded" Pokémon card in the metrics by another Kanto favorite.
Pokémon TCG's Most-Graded Character May See a Change
According to a report by ComicBook Gaming, Pikachu may soon lose its status as the most-graded card, per the third-party authentication and grading company, Professional Sports Authority (PSA) based on their latest statistics on "Pokémon" card grading.
The company shared the latest metrics from the month of March, which showed a potential shift in the rankings.
In March, the number of Pikachu cards sent to PSA for grading saw a 10% decline, being one of the steepest for the character. It was also revealed that there were only 136 Pikachu cards sent over to PSA for grading.
Kanto's Beloved Fire-type Sets the Card Game Ablaze
The character close to beating Pikachu is none other than the Generation I Fire and Flying-type Pokémon Charizard. Based on the statistics from PSA, 100 Charizard cards were graded by the company, which is a 23% increase compared to February 2026.
Based on ComicBook Gaming's speculations, Charizard may overtake Pikachu as the top-graded character in Pokémon TCG this month.
The rise of Charizard cards in grading numbers makes sense given the market. Many of the most valuable cards today feature Charizard, including the Charizard ex Special Illustration Rare, which is among the most sought-after chase cards from the "Scarlet and Violet" era.
Pikachu may be the face of the "Pokémon" franchise and is the most-graded card in PSA for a long time, but Charizard cards are blazing hot right now and are poised to overtake.
