Labubu went viral in 2025 — but what happened next?
If you were online in 2025, chances are you saw Labubu almost everywhere.
The distinctive character from POP MART's The Monsters collection went from being a relatively niche collectible to a global phenomenon. Labubu appeared on handbags, backpacks, keychains and social media feeds, while videos of people opening blind boxes helped introduce the character to millions of new collectors.
2025 was undoubtedly the year Labubu reached its biggest mainstream audience.
But fast-forward to 2026 and things look different.
The queues, viral videos and constant social-media hype have become less intense, and Labubu is no longer the new craze that seemingly everyone was trying to buy.
So, is Labubu still popular in 2026?
The short answer is yes — but the nature of the demand has changed.
Rather than being purely a viral trend, Labubu has developed into an established collectible with a large existing fanbase.
What made Labubu so popular in the first place?
Labubu is part of The Monsters, a character universe created by artist Kasing Lung and developed commercially through POP MART.
Several factors came together to create the huge rise in popularity.
The distinctive "ugly-cute" design
Labubu's appearance is immediately recognisable. The large ears, mischievous expression and distinctive teeth give the character an unusual appearance compared with traditional plush toys.
That unusual design helped Labubu stand out in photographs and social media feeds, where visually distinctive products can spread extremely quickly.
The blind-box experience
A major part of the appeal is the way many Labubus are sold.
Rather than choosing exactly which character you receive, you purchase a blind box and discover the character once it has been opened.
This adds an element of surprise to collecting and encourages people to buy additional boxes as they try to find different characters.
Labubu became a fashion accessory
The vinyl plush pendants were particularly important to Labubu's rise.
Instead of simply being displayed at home, smaller Labubus could be attached to handbags, backpacks and other everyday items.
This helped transform Labubu from a collectible toy into something that could become part of someone's personal style.
Why was 2025 the biggest year for Labubu?
2025 was the point at which Labubu moved firmly into mainstream culture.
POP MART itself described LABUBU as one of the world's most sought-after IPs during the first half of 2025, following the launch of the Big Into Energy series.
The numbers demonstrate just how significant that period was.
During the first half of 2025, The Monsters generated RMB 4.814 billion in revenue for POP MART, representing enormous year-on-year growth.
By the end of 2025, The Monsters had become POP MART's first IP to generate more than RMB 10 billion in annual revenue, reaching approximately RMB 14.16 billion for the year.
That's an important point for understanding what happened in 2026.
The fact that the hype has cooled doesn't mean Labubu suddenly stopped being successful.
It means that 2025 was an exceptionally difficult level of growth to maintain.
So, is Labubu still popular in 2026?
Yes — but it's no longer quite the same phenomenon.
POP MART's latest financial results provide an interesting picture.
In the first half of 2026, The Monsters generated approximately RMB 4.45 billion, remaining POP MART's largest individual IP. However, this was down around 7.5% compared with the same period of 2025, and its contribution to total company revenue fell from 34.7% to 26%.
This suggests that the extraordinary momentum of 2025 has cooled.
However, RMB 4.45 billion in six months is still an enormous amount of demand.
Labubu has therefore moved into a different stage of its life cycle.
The question is no longer simply:
"Is everyone buying Labubu?"
Instead, it's:
"How many of the people who discovered Labubu in 2025 have remained collectors?"
From viral trend to established collectible
This is perhaps the biggest difference between Labubu in 2025 and Labubu in 2026.
During the height of the trend, many people were buying Labubu because everyone else was buying Labubu.
Some buyers were completely new to the world of designer toys and simply wanted to own one because they had seen them on TikTok, Instagram or attached to a celebrity's handbag.
Today, the market is more mature.
There are now people who have owned their first Labubu for months or even years and are continuing to purchase different characters, series and sizes.
For these collectors, buying a Labubu isn't necessarily about following the latest trend.
It can simply be about collecting something they already enjoy.
Why are people still buying Labubu in 2026?
There are several reasons why Labubu continues to sell even after the initial viral wave has passed.
Collectors want to complete their collections
Blind-box collecting naturally encourages repeat purchases.
Someone who purchased one Labubu in 2025 may now be looking for another character from the same series or attempting to complete a particular collection.
For collectors looking for multiple boxes, you can also explore our Labubu sealed cases.
Some people are buying Labubu for the first time
Although the biggest wave of new buyers may have passed, Labubu continues to reach new audiences.
Children and teenagers who discovered Labubu during 2025 may still want one today, while friends and family members continue to buy them as gifts.
Existing Labubus can be lost or damaged
There's another, less talked-about reason for continued demand.
Labubus are often carried on bags, backpacks and other everyday items. That means they can be exposed to considerably more wear than a collectible that stays on a shelf.
A Labubu can be lost, damaged or simply become worn over time.
For someone who already owns and enjoys a particular character, replacing it can be more appealing than buying something completely different.
This is one reason the Labubu market in 2026 shouldn't be viewed purely through the lens of viral social-media trends.
New releases keep collectors interested
POP MART continues to develop The Monsters with new characters, designs and formats.
That means someone who already owns Labubus isn't necessarily finished collecting.
Our Labubu collection includes different formats, including blind boxes, bundles, pendants and larger plush dolls.
Has the Labubu resale market changed?
This is where the difference between 2025 and 2026 becomes particularly noticeable.
During the height of the Labubu craze, certain releases and rare versions attracted significant attention from resellers and collectors.
As the market has become less speculative, some of that activity has cooled.
That doesn't necessarily mean Labubu has become unpopular.
Instead, it can mean that speculative buyers have moved on while genuine collectors remain.
This distinction is important.
A product doesn't need to be going viral every day to have a healthy collector market.
What does the future look like for Labubu?
It's impossible to know exactly how popular Labubu will be several years from now.
However, there is a significant difference between a product that briefly goes viral and an intellectual property that develops a long-term collector base.
Labubu has already achieved the latter to some extent.
POP MART continues to release new products around The Monsters, while the company has also expanded its wider portfolio of characters and IPs. In the first half of 2026, The Monsters remained one of six POP MART IPs generating more than RMB 1 billion in revenue.
The future may therefore look less like the explosive Labubu boom of 2025 and more like a traditional collectible market — with new releases attracting collectors while older series remain popular with existing fans.
Where can you buy Labubu in the UK?
If you're looking to buy a Labubu in 2026, whether you're purchasing your first one, replacing an existing Labubu or adding to a collection, it's important to make sure you're buying an authentic product.
At Hype Locker UK, our Labubu collection includes a range of POP MART Labubu products.
You can shop:
- Labubu Blind Boxes & Figures – individual Labubu products
- Labubu Sealed Cases – full cases for collectors
- Labubu Bundles – selected Labubu combinations
- Labubu Pendants – larger vinyl plush pendants
- Labubu Mini Pendants – smaller Labubu pendants
All Labubu products sold by Hype Locker UK are guaranteed 100% authentic.
Final thoughts: Is Labubu still worth buying in 2026?
Labubu may no longer dominate social media in the way it did during its peak in 2025, but that doesn't mean the character has disappeared.
The frenzy has cooled, the market has matured and some of the speculative demand has gone.
But millions of people who discovered Labubu during the boom are still collectors today.
For those people, buying a Labubu in 2026 isn't necessarily about following a trend.
It's about collecting something they already love.
And that may ultimately be a much more sustainable position for Labubu than being the internet's latest viral obsession.