https://techcrunch.com/2021/04/05/stockx-ec1-authentication/

As we saw in part one of this EC-1, sneakers have evolved from an enthusiast community of collectors into a global multibillion dollar business, in part due to StockX’s influence over this burgeoning market. Individual pairs can sell for well over $100,000, and as sneakers have gone from cultural symbol to cultural asset, they have increasingly become the target for criminal groups looking to make a quick buck from counterfeits.

StockX is fighting an arms race against international criminals who can make a killing if they can get a fake through its authentication processes. Every year, StockX improves its practices, and every year, its opponents sharpen their skills, getting just one more detail right. Sneaker fraud is big business: The feds seized tens of millions of dollars in fake shoes last year in just one haul. By some estimates, the sneaker fake goods market is growing and is now well into the nine figure range.