PSA partners with Whatnot to add card-grading service through popular app

Card-grading company PSA has partnered with Whatnot to make it easier for collectors to get trading cards graded through the livestream shopping platform.

Collectors who buy cards on the Whatnot app can now have their cards and items authenticated with just a few taps without having to package and ship them to a grading company like PSA.

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Through the partnership, Whatnot customers can add PSA’s grading services at checkout. PSA, the hobby's largest card-grading company, will then authenticate, grade and encapsulate those cards and items before shipping them to the buyer. The partnership is the first-of-its-kind between a livestream shopping platform and authentication company.

Whatnot, one of the largest social commerce platforms in the U.S, provides a live shopping experience, allowing collectors to interact in real time and sellers to auction items across multiple platforms. The company also conducts live breaks.

“Collectors are always looking for new ways to get involved in the hobby and there are few platforms today that offer fans a more compelling experience than Whatnot,” PSA President Ryan Hoge said. “Whatnot combines the excitement of a live auction with the widespread accessibility of virtual experiences and we’re thrilled to join together to make collecting an easier and more enjoyable experience for everyone.”

“Whatnot buyers can now seamlessly add PSA’s services to their purchases, incorporating another layer of trust to our platform,” Whatnot CEO and co-founder Grant Lafontaine said. “By partnering with PSA, we’re simultaneously eliminating a critical pain point while ensuring customers that the cards they buy are authentic and have the correct grade.”