CGC and Deadstock plan a Japan card submission route
Collectors and shops in Japan could send cards to CGC through one domestic platform, in Japanese, without arranging international shipping themselves.
By Jamie Budesky · Published October 9, 2026
In short
CGC and Deadstock announced a global partnership on October 9, 2026 that starts in Japan. Deadstock will run a domestic route for sending cards to CGC, plus a Japan-based vault, digital custody and digital packs with top CGC grades. Rollout begins in October, with the earliest implementations expected by year-end. Fees and turnaround are not yet published.
What was announced
In a release posted October 9, 2026, CGC and Deadstock, a collectibles platform operated by ATH Labs Ltd and based in Abu Dhabi, announced a global partnership. CGC says its first and most significant focus is Japan.
The release describes Japan as a market where demand for professional grading has grown faster than the routes available to meet it, with cards often needing to leave the country to be certified.
“Japan is where the cards are, and it is where the friction is,” said Dominic Jang, Chief Business and Operations Officer at ATH Labs.
The four planned pieces
| Deliverable | What the release says |
|---|---|
| Domestic submission route | Collectors and card shops in Japan send cards for CGC grading without arranging international shipping, valuation and insurance themselves. Aggregated, in the local language, on local terms, open to cards from any set or region. |
| Domestic vaulting | Graded cards can be stored in a Japan-based vault instead of being delivered. |
| Digital custody | Vaulted cards are represented as digital ownership records on Deadstock, with redemption to physical delivery at any time. |
| Digital packs | Deadstock’s digital packs extended to feature CGC’s highest grades. |
Timing: the release says the submission route and vaulting will begin rolling out in October, with products featuring CGC-certified cards in the same phase, and that the earliest implementations are expected to go live by the end of the year. Programs for card shops and collector groups will be announced in the coming months.
Why it matters
It is CGC’s latest step on access in Asia, four days after it began full-time TCG grading in Hong Kong (our October 5 post). For collectors in Japan, the useful part is the submission route: one domestic hand-off instead of arranging an international shipment.
- Rule: judge the route on fees and turnaround once they are published. The release gives neither.
- Separate the grading route from the digital products. You can use a submission service without vaulting or buying digital packs, if the final terms allow it.
- Know what a CGC slab means for your card. Our CGC card grading guide and grader by use case guide cover where CGC fits.
What we could not confirm
- Fees, turnaround and minimums for the Japan submission route.
- Where cards submitted through the route will be graded. The release does not say.
- A firm launch date. The release says rollout begins in October, with the earliest implementations expected by year-end.
- Whether the route will be available to collectors outside Japan.
Sources
- CGC: Deadstock and CGC Announce Global Partnership (posted October 9, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What is the CGC Deadstock partnership?
A global partnership announced October 9, 2026 between CGC and Deadstock, a collectibles platform run by ATH Labs. It starts in Japan with a submission route, vaulting, digital custody and digital pack products.
How can collectors in Japan submit cards to CGC?
Under the partnership, Deadstock will operate a domestic submission route so collectors and shops in Japan can send cards for CGC grading without arranging international shipping, valuation and insurance themselves.
When does the Deadstock CGC submission route launch?
The release says the submission route and vaulting begin rolling out in October 2026, with the earliest implementations expected to go live by the end of the year.
Does the Deadstock route accept non-Japanese cards?
Yes. The release says the route is open to cards from any set or region, not only Japanese-market releases.
What does the Deadstock CGC submission route cost?
The October 9 release does not give fees or turnaround times.