Pokémon cards have been popular since their first set was released in Japan in 1996 and worldwide in 1999. Since then, over 115 expansions have been released worldwide, excluding promotional sets. This gives us a general idea of the large number of Pokémon cards that have been created.

According to the online database TCG Collector, as of March 2024, approximately 18,609 unique Pokémon cards have been created for the international market. For Japanese-language cards, the number rises to approximately 21,289.

This count focuses on unique cards, meaning cards with their own set numbers at the bottom and separate artwork. A card like Arceus VSTAR would be counted five times if it had five different pieces of artwork and set numbers, including promotional sets, alternate arts, and Secret Rares. Any time a Pokémon has appeared in multiple sets over the years, each version would be counted as a separate entry due to their unique artwork and set numbers. For example, there are 196 unique Charizard Pokémon cards.

Since the Pokémon Trading Card Game first launched, The Pokémon Company has produced over 52.9 billion cards in 14 languages and in 89 countries and regions. This figure refers to the total number of Pokémon cards that have been produced and distributed throughout the history of the game. This number likely does not reflect the current number of cards in existence worldwide, as many have been lost, discarded, or unfortunately destroyed over the years.