Fixing the risky experience of the online collectible market

This article is a part of Startup Spotlight, a series that features young, up-and-coming startups.

Photo credit: Collektr

Adlin Yusman, a collector for over 30 years, saw firsthand how trading collectibles online was fragmented and risky. Transactions relied on trust with little platform support.

This insight was reinforced by his co-founder, Saida Azizi, who, as a new collector, found the market inaccessible and fraught with uncertainty. Together, they built Malaysia-based Collektr to create a safer, more transparent platform for the community.

😟 Problem

Buying and selling collectibles online is often inefficient and risky. Collectors face counterfeit items, slow transactions, and high platform fees that can reach 20% to 30%. This problem is particularly severe for hobby sellers and local stores that depend on these platforms for their livelihood.

The rise of live commerce has shifted consumer behavior, but general marketplaces have not adapted. As the collectibles market grows, so do issues with fraud, making trust and transparency more critical than ever. Counterfeit goods account for an estimated 3% to 4% of global trade, with collectibles being a highly affected category.

💡 Solution

Collektr is a live shopping platform where users buy and sell collectibles through livestream auctions and direct listings. It makes the process social and transparent, allowing buyers to see items and ask questions in real time.

The platform is designed specifically for categories like trading cards, toys, sneakers, and watches.

• Live auctions: Sellers can showcase items on camera, allowing buyers to inspect the condition and bid with confidence.
• Fast payouts: Sellers receive payments within four to seven days, which is much faster than traditional marketplaces.
• Low fees: The platform charges a competitive 8% fee on successful sales.
• Trust and safety: Collektr supports authentication workflows and transaction tracking to make high-value trades safer.

Photo credit: Collektr

📊 Market size

Collektr targets the 1 million to 1.5 million active collectors in Southeast Asia. A typical active buyer on the platform makes six to 12 twelve transactions annually. The average order value ranges from US$80 to US$200.

This translates to an annual gross merchandise value (GMV) of US$700 to US$1,500 per active user. Successful livestream sellers can generate over US$5,000 in monthly GMV. The broader global collectibles market is valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars annually.

🤝 Team

• Adlin Yusman. Co-founder and CEO. A serial entrepreneur with two exits. Leadership experiences at Groupon, Lazada, and Expedia.
• Saida Azizi. Co-founder and COO. Senior Associate for Endeavor Malaysia. Quadrupled the entrepreneur network in under one year.
• Fahrul Azmi. CTO. 25 years of technical experienced engineering for startups with nine-figure revenues.

🚀 Traction

🏆 Competition

💰 Financials