Pokemon TCG Pocket‘s trading feature is set to be overhauled once again, thanks to consistent criticism from players, despite initial tweaks and changes. While the game’s development team attempted to address complaints by providing trade tokens as rewards in a number of events, to reduce the need for players to “rip” cards to earn them, it appears that wasn’t enough.
Now, trade tokens will be completely removed, with trading instead now requiring the shinedust currency, which is earned with card pack openings, and in certain missions. (It can also be purchased in limited time events.)
Here’s the full rundown, per the Pokemon TCG Pocket team posting to the game’s community forum:
- Trade tokens will be completely removed and players will no longer need to exchange cards to obtain the currency required for trading.
- Instead, trading cards of three-diamond, four-diamond, and one-star rarity will now require shinedust.
- When you open a booster pack, shinedust will be automatically earned if you obtain a card that is already registered in your Card Dex. Currently, shinedust is also required to obtain flair, so we are looking into increasing the amount offered since it will also be needed for trading. Altogether, this change should allow you to trade more cards than you could before this update.
- Trade tokens you currently own can be converted to shinedust when the item is removed from the game.
- There are no changes in how one-diamond and two-diamond rarity cards are traded.
The short version is that Pokemon TCG Pocket had a few too many currencies running around, and trade tokens were causing more trouble than they were worth. At some point in the future, a game update will remove them, all existing trade tokens will be converted to equivalent shinedust, and players will be able to go on trading, as normal.
Read: Pokemon TCG Pocket’s trading system is good, actually
No more cards will need to be sacrificed to continue trading with your friends.
Another, additional change that was teased for the future was the ability to “share cards you’re interested in trading for, via the in-game trading function.” This will mean players no longer have to communicate on another platform to organise trades, but this may soon be done in-game, via a wishlist or simple communication feature.
There is also currently discussions around “how to accommodate cards that are currently unavailable for trades, such as promo cards and two-star rarity cards,” although this remains in the planning stages and there’s nothing firmly announced just yet.
While the rest of the trading framework remains in place, these tweaks should ensure players are better able to trade, and that the system is a bit easier and more streamlined for everyone. At this stage, neither trading feature has been firmly dated, but the Pokemon TCG Pocket team has indicated the changes will launch by the end of Autumn 2025 [Northern Hemisphere].
