The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Trading in Pokémon TCG Pocket was announced for January 2025, and PokéBeach reported that it became available in the app on January 28, 2025. The feature is no longer upcoming. The current rules are set out in Pokémon Support’s Trading FAQ, which was last updated September 8, 2026, and they differ in several respects from the launch version described below.
How the announced period developed
The launch window was first given in a community letter and then narrowed to a specific date in fan-news reporting. Official statements and press coverage are separate sources, and the table below keeps them apart.
| Date | Source | What it said |
|---|---|---|
| November 13, 2024 | Pokémon TCG Pocket Operations Team, community letter | The team was aiming to add a feature allowing certain cards to be traded starting in January 2025. |
| January 16, 2025 | Pokémon TCG Pocket Team, community letter | Trading was described as coming “this month,” with launch-day limits set out in detail. |
| January 23, 2025 | PokéBeach report | Listed January 28 as the planned launch date. |
| January 28, 2025 | PokéBeach report | Trading was reported as available in the app. |
| March 2025 | Official development update | Trade tokens were to be removed, with shinedust used for certain trades (see below). |
| September 8, 2026 | Pokémon Support Trading FAQ (last updated) | The current steps and rules for trading. |
The November letter gave a month, not a day. The January 28 date is therefore a press-reported date, not a date printed in an official Pokémon announcement.
What the launch version allowed
The January 16, 2025 community letter set out the first version of the feature. At launch, trading was:
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- 3 Pokemon booster packs from various sets
- Limited to friends.
- Restricted to cards of the same rarity.
- Open for certain cards from the Genetic Apex and Mythical Island expansions, not the whole card pool.
- Available for rarities from one through four diamond and one star.
- Dependent on consuming items to complete a trade.
Several of these conditions still apply, but the resource requirements and some eligibility details have since changed.
Changes to trade costs in March 2025
In a March 2025 official update, the team said trade tokens would be removed. Three-diamond, four-diamond, and one-star trades would instead require shinedust. The update said there would be no change to the requirements for one- and two-diamond trades. It also described a card-interest sharing feature as in development, and said the team was still working out how to handle promo cards and two-star cards, which could not be traded at that point.
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- Supplies - Deck Boxes & Card Storage
These were development statements from March 2025. Later changes, including those reflected in the current FAQ, take precedence.
Current trading rules
The table below reflects Pokémon Support’s Trading FAQ, last updated September 8, 2026.
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| Rule | Current requirement |
|---|---|
| Who you can trade with | Friends only. The other player must have trading unlocked, must not have an active trade blocking the offer, and must not have disabled trading. |
| When trading unlocks | 14 days after starting the game. |
| Rarity matching | Cards must match in rarity. If a card has flair, both cards must have flair. If a card has a gold frame, both must have a gold frame. |
| Shinedust cost | Varies by card rarity. The game displays the amount before the trade is completed, and the About trade rules screen lists it. |
| Wishlist | Up to 40 cards. Up to three can be shown on your profile, Trade screen, and Share screen. |
| Trade history | The 30 most recent trades from the last 90 days. |
| Changing or canceling a trade | An active trade cannot be changed to a different card. Cancel it and start over. Canceling restores consumed stamina, cards, and items. |
Finding eligible cards in the game
Card eligibility can change, so the in-game list is the authority for which cards can be traded today. Pokémon Support points players to the in-game list rather than a fixed web list.
- Open the Social Hub.
- Select Trade.
- Select the ? option.
- Choose Detailed trade list to see the cards currently eligible.
Before confirming any trade, check the shinedust amount displayed on screen. If the amount or card does not match what you expected, cancel the trade and start again rather than changing it.
Quick Recap
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