The developers of Pokémon TCG Pocket are finally listening to their fans. One of the game’s most-requested features — an overhaul of the card trading system — is coming much earlier than planned.
Originally scheduled for late fall 2025, DeNA confirmed that the improved card trading update will now arrive on July 30, just in time to align with the next expansion.
Why Was the Old Trading System So Hated?
When card trading was first introduced a year ago, the system was heavily criticized for requiring players to spend a large amount of trade tokens, which made frequent trades almost impossible.
Acknowledging the backlash, DeNA promised a fix — and now it’s happening.
What’s New in Pokémon TCG Pocket’s Trading System?
The biggest change: trade tokens are being discontinued.
In their place, players will now use Iris Dust, a resource primarily earned by collecting duplicate cards. If you’ve been playing since launch and haven’t used your Iris Dust, you could have up to 200,000 units saved.
Better yet, starting with the update, duplicate cards will give double the Iris Dust, depending on their rarity. For example, a 4-diamond duplicate currently gives 600 Iris Dust — after the update, it’ll give 1,200.
How Much Iris Dust Will Trades Cost?
Unfortunately, DeNA has not yet disclosed the exact cost in Iris Dust to trade 3- or 4-diamond and 1-star cards. More information is expected closer to launch.
What Happens to Old Trade Tokens?
If you still have trade tokens, don’t worry — they won’t go to waste. Players will be able to exchange them for booster pack timers or Iris Dust, with the following conversion rates:
- 1 Booster Pack Timer (max 60) — 1 trade token
- 10 Iris Dust (unlimited) — 10 trade tokens
- 100 Iris Dust (unlimited) — 10 trade tokens
- 1000 Iris Dust (unlimited) — 100 trade tokens
When Will the Update Be Available?
The improved trading feature will go live on July 30 at 11:00 PM (Pacific Time time).
However, trading will be temporarily disabled on July 25 at 11:00 AM, just days before the update, likely to prepare the game servers and coincide with the new expansion.
