Pokemon TCG Pocket Announces Major Trading Overhaul: Shinedust Replaces Trading Tokens

The development team has just dropped some big news about the trading mechanics in Pokemon TCG Pocket, and these changes are expected to roll out by the end of Autumn 2025. The overhaul will see the complete removal of trading tokens, replaced by shine dust as the new currency. Players will also have the flexibility to choose specific cards they want to trade for, among other updates.

This announcement came through a detailed image posted on various official platforms, including the Pokemon TCG Pocket’s Twitter account. The message starts by expressing gratitude to the players for their feedback on the trading system. It then dives into the details of the changes, with hopes that these tweaks will make trading more “accessible and enjoyable” for everyone.

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect with these updates:

Trade tokens are being phased out, meaning players won’t need to swap cards just to obtain the necessary currency for trading. Instead, shine dust will be the requirement for trading cards of three-diamond, four-diamond, and one-star rarities. When you open a booster pack and get a card already listed in your Card Dex, you’ll earn shine dust automatically. Given shine dust is also crucial for acquiring flair, the team is considering increasing its availability to support its new role in trading. Overall, these changes should allow you to trade more cards than before.

Any trade tokens you currently have will be convertible to shine dust once the tokens are retired from the game. Cards of one-diamond and two-diamond rarities will see no alterations in their trading process, maintaining the existing system.

A promising new feature is also in the works, allowing players to highlight cards they wish to trade for within the game’s trading feature.

Trading, when it was introduced earlier this year, received mixed reactions from the community. The main points of contention were the trading currency, which limited how much trading players could do, and restrictions based on card rarity. These updates seem to tackle the first issue head-on, with shine dust now abundantly available, while the latter concern remains, though there’s a hint that these restrictions might ease as more packs are added. It’s a sensible approach to prevent the development of rare trading ecosystems.

The addition of being able to specify cards you want to trade for is a great enhancement too. Personally, I’ve had my eye on acquiring a second Victreebel for quite some time but didn’t want to spend resources on older sets when shiny new cards arrived with Triumphant Light. This feature should simplify the search for specific cards without needing to browse through trading communities on Discord or similar platforms.

What are your thoughts on these changes? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!