Hashed makes lead investment in Middle East collectible authentication firm HiT, citing a "first-mover advantage in the next-generation market"

Global Web3 venture capital firm Hashed has invested in Middle East collectible authentication company HiT, moving to expand its footprint.

Hashed said on the 25th that it participated as the lead investor in HiT Grading & Authentication (HiT Grading & Authentication, hereafter HiT), a UAE-based company that grades and authenticates digital collectibles.

HiT is the Middle East’s first card grading and authentication platform, established by the Speedy Comics Group, the region’s largest pop-culture company. It provides services for trading cards and collectibles from global franchises including Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Marvel Topps, One Piece and Dragon Ball.

It is also building an integrated infrastructure that connects collectors, investors and retailers across the Middle East, leveraging its offline store network.

Hashed said the investment is part of a strategy to build a cultural and commercial ecosystem linking South Korea and the Middle East. The decision reflects the global expansion of Korean intellectual property (IP)—including K-pop, webtoons, games and trading cards—alongside the growth potential of the Middle East’s collector market.

"Collectibles are a way of putting a price on culture, and markets begin with trust, not transactions," said Kim Seo-jun, CEO of Hashed. "HiT is a team with the capabilities and local network to bridge that gap."

Dr. Rashed Al Farooq, co-founder of HiT and CEO of the Speedy Comics Group, said, "The Middle East is emerging as a key hub for pop culture and trading card communities," adding, "Together with Hashed, we will grow into a global platform connecting the Middle East and Asia."

Al Farooq is a collector with a personal collection worth about $200 million, including a first edition of Superman, Amazing Fantasy #15, rare issues of Weekly Shonen Jump, and rare Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering cards.

Dr. Sharifa Abdulqader Obaid, co-founder and CEO of HiT, said, "HiT’s vision is to build trust at scale," adding, "We will accelerate this through collaboration with Hashed."

HiT plans to expand across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and invest in AI-based grading technology and the development of a cross-border collector community.