When is the trading release date in Pokémon TCG Pocket, and how do trades work?

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Trade_PTP

Graphic: Johnny Yu/Polygon | Image source: Creatures, DeNA/The Pokémon Company via Polygon

Trading in Pokémon TCG Pocket has been known since the app’s announcement back in Feb. 2024, but the trade button in the Social Hub has been greyed out and slapped with a “coming soon” sticker since launch.

The much-awaited function comes with its own requirements and limitations, meaning you won’t be able to get your hands on a Mew card for mere scraps.

Here’s the confirmed release date of trading Pokémon TCG Pocket, and what we do and don’t know about the feature so far.

Update (Jan. 23): We finally have a confirmed release date for trading in Pokémon TCG Pocket.

When does trading release in Pokémon TCG Pocket?

Trading in Pokémon TCG Pocket will release in Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, one day ahead of the next expansion, “Space-Time Smackdown,” on Jan. 29.

In terms of when exactly on Jan. 28, though not confirmed, it will likely release at the usual release time of 1 a.m. EST / 6 a.m. GMT.

How trades work in Pokémon TCG Pocket

Image: Creatures, DeNA/The Pokémon Company

Here’s everything we know — and don’t know — about how trading works in Pokémon TCG Pocket following an update on Jan. 16:

What we know about trades so far

Trades can be performed between friends.
All “diamond” rarity cards and “one star” rarity cards can be traded.
Trading only work with cards of the same rarity.
Only “certain cards” can be traded from the Genetic Apex and Mystical Island booster packs (meaning it’s likely Promo cards will be excluded), with the selection expanding over time.
Once traded, unspecified “items” will be “consumed”.

What we don’t know about trades so far

Whether it is restricted to friends only. In the wording of how trading works, it says “trades can be done with friends”, which doesn’t explicitly mean it’s friends only. In a dream scenario, Pokémon TCG Pocket could have a trading section where players can list cards they’re looking for or post a binder full of cards they’re willing to trade. Other players can look through their binders and initiate a trade by offering something in return. Of course, it could simply follow Pokémon Go’s lead in allowing trades for friends only.

Whether there are additional requirements when it comes to trading with friends. For example, can you trade straight away with new friends? Is there is a distance requirement?
Whether there will be limits to how often you can trade. In Pokémon Go, you can trade up to 100 regular Pokémon a day, while special Pokémon like legendaries and shinies can only be traded once per day — except for during special events where the trading limit is increased. It’s possible Pokémon TCG Pocket could follow suit.

Images: Creatures, DeNA/The Pokémon Company via Polygon

If there is a cost. Looking at the wording again of the latest trading announcement, it says “items must be consumed in order to trade” — suggesting there will be some kind of currency or item spent as part of the process. There are a number of currencies in the game already, so Pokémon TCG Pocket could use shine dust (similar to how Pokémon Go uses stardust for trades) or introduce a new currency or item specifically for trading.