Courtyard
Category: AI in Fintech
Courtyard is a marketplace and tokenization service that enables anyone to easily own and trade physical collectibles on the blockchain, unlocking greater transparency, liquidity, and a powerful new form of ownership. Courtyard was founded in 2021. The company is led by Nicolas le Jeune. Based in New York, USA. Team size: 51-200. Total funding raised: $37.5M. Latest round: Series A, $30.0M, 2025-07, led by Forerunner Ventures. Key investors include Forerunner Ventures, New Enterprise Associates, Y Combinator, Burst Capital, Operator Partners, Prelude, ParaFi Capital.
- Founded
- 2021
- Headquarters
- New York, USA
- Team size
- 51-200
- Total funding
- $37.5M
Value proposition
Courtyard provides greater transparency, liquidity, and a powerful new form of ownership for physical collectibles by representing them as digital assets on the blockchain.
Products and solutions
Marketplace for trading tokenized collectibles, Tokenization service for physical assets, Mystery pack system with instant buyback, Mobile app (iOS & Android), Expansion into watches, comics, and new collectible categories
Unique value
The tokenization of physical collectibles, bridging the gap between physical and digital ownership.
Target customer
Collectors of physical items such as trading cards, memorabilia, and other collectibles.
Industries served
Collectibles, Fintech, Blockchain, Luxury watches, Numismatics
Technology advantage
Courtyard's key advantage is its use of blockchain technology (NFTs) to represent physical assets, providing secure and transparent ownership and transfer. The partnership with Brink's for vaulting the physical items adds a layer of trust and security.
How they differentiate
Courtyard differentiates itself by tokenizing physical collectibles, allowing them to be traded as NFTs on the blockchain. This creates a bridge between physical and digital ownership. A key partnership with Brink's for vaulting the physical items adds a layer of security and trust. Their platform aims to provide a frictionless marketplace experience by handling storage, authentication, and transaction logistics.
Main competitors
Collector Crypt, Phygitals, Dibbs
Key partnerships
Brink's, Polygon, Chainlink, Luxury Bazaar
Notable customers
Collectors of high-value trading cards (Pokémon, sports), comics, watches, and certified coins, ~$50M/month GMV by mid-2025; Jul 2026 ~$85M pack volume / ~$20M+ monthly net revenue
Major milestones
Successfully completed the Y Combinator (W22) accelerator program., Established a strategic partnership with Brink’s for secure vaulting of collectibles., Secured $7 million in a seed funding round., Raised $30 million in a Series A funding round led by Forerunner Ventures., Launched mobile app for iOS and Android (pre-order available)., Expanded into watches as a new collectible category (Feb 2026)., Grew from $50K/month to $50M/month in GMV.
Growth metrics
Grew from ~$50K to ~$50M monthly GMV by mid-2025; July 2026 onchain pack volume ~$85.2M with ~$20.8M net revenue (~24% take); Messari reported weekly revenue passing $6M by Aug 2026.
Market positioning
Courtyard is positioned as a secure and transparent marketplace for high-value physical collectibles, primarily focusing on items like Pokémon and sports cards. They leverage blockchain technology to offer enhanced liquidity, transparency, and a novel form of ownership to collectors, targeting a market that values both the physical asset and the ease of digital trading.
Geographic focus
While the platform is accessible globally, Courtyard's primary geographic focus is the United States, with headquarters in New York, NY and a key partnership with the US-based security company, Brink's.
Patents and IP
Not publicly available
About Nicolas le Jeune
Previously a Strategic Partner Manager at YouTube and Google, focusing on TV, Film, and content partnerships.
More AI in Fintech companies
Official website: https://courtyard.io/
