eBay has authenticated more than 15 million items, including trading cards, watches, handbags and sneakers, CEO Jamie Iannone said in a CNBC interview Wednesday.
Speaking with “Squawk Box” in celebration of eBay’s 30th anniversary, Iannone highlighted a number of changes over the decades, specifically the company's expansion into authentication and use of AI.
Iannone touted the success of eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee program, which he says recently verified 1 million items in a single quarter for the first time. The program, which covers eligible watches, handbags, jewelry, sneakers and trading cards, has been a key selling point for collectors since it was first created to verify select watches in 2020.
One comment toward the end of the segment caused collectors to balk, however, with Iannone offering an eye-popping description of the program’s success so far.
“To my knowledge, we’ve never had a counterfeit get through one of our authentication centers,” Iannone said.
Though the program has been widely considered a positive addition to eBay’s services, missteps have been well-documented, with the program known to inadvertently pass forged or altered items on occasion.
Some mistakes come from the program’s limitations. While trading card partner PSA is able to verify raw cards directly, eBay's program is confined to authenticating holders for graded cards. Because PSA can’t regrade cards, eBay is limited to verifying labels and holders — cards originally authenticated inaccurately can pass through during this process as legitimate.
Iannone also touted the company’s use of Generative AI to help sellers list items and write descriptions. The use of AI has caused friction at times with collectors, however, with some descriptions featuring vague or even incorrect details.
As of Wednesday morning, eBay stock was up 46% in 2025. The latest financial report for Q2 reported $2.7 billion in revenue.
Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture. He was previously the collectibles editor at Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on X and Instagram @benmburrows.