Pokémon TCG Pocket Confirms Changes to Much-Loathed Trading System Are Coming... Eventually

Pokémon TCG Pocket's reviled trading system is finally getting a much-needed overhaul, though the wait will be lengthy. Developers have detailed significant improvements, promising a smoother trading experience.

Farewell, Trade Tokens!

The dreaded Trade Tokens are being eliminated. Trading three-diamond, four-diamond, and one-star rarity cards will now use Shinedust. Shinedust is automatically earned when opening booster packs containing duplicate cards already in your Card Dex. With Shinedust already used for flair, developers plan to increase its acquisition rate to accommodate trading demands. This change should drastically increase trading efficiency. Existing Trade Tokens will be converted to Shinedust upon their removal. Trading one- and two-diamond cards remains unchanged.

More Trading Improvements on the Horizon

A new feature will let you specify desired trade cards within the in-game trading function. This addresses a major pain point: the current system offers no way to communicate trading preferences, hindering trades, especially with strangers.

The removal of Trade Tokens is a game-changer. The previous system required discarding multiple valuable cards to obtain enough tokens for a single trade, severely discouraging player participation. The shift to Shinedust, an existing in-game currency obtained from duplicates and events, offers a far more accessible and less punishing alternative. While a cost is necessary to prevent abuse, the old system was excessively punitive.

The ability to specify desired cards will significantly improve trade success rates. Currently, players can only list cards for trade without indicating their preferences, leading to many unsuccessful attempts. This improvement will encourage more trades and make the trading system more user-friendly.

While the community welcomes these changes, the loss of rare cards already sacrificed for Trade Tokens is a significant setback. Although tokens will be converted, the cards themselves are irretrievably lost. Furthermore, the implementation timeline stretches into the fall, potentially leading to a trading drought in the interim. The current system's unattractiveness will likely discourage trading until the update arrives.

Until then, hold onto your Shinedust!