Pokemon TCG Pocket just dropped its biggest announcement yet regarding the game’s trading system, confirming sweeping changes that reshape how players interact with each other. The core update officially eliminates the old trade medal and dismantling mechanics, replacing them with a new sand dust system and wishlist-style trading features. All this goes live on July 30th—one day before the upcoming set reveal.
Goodbye Trade Medals and Dismantling
One of the most significant changes is the removal of the trade medal system. Until now, players needed to consume cards to generate trade medals for initiating trades. That’s no longer the case. Once the update goes live, trades will instead require light sand (also referred to as sand dust), a material that will be earned automatically when obtaining cards already registered in your Pokédex.
What’s even more notable is the removal of the dismantle feature altogether. No longer will players need to break down duplicate cards just to trade or gain resources. If you’re holding onto trade medals, you can exchange them before the update hits—up to 60 can be traded for pack hourglasses, and the rest for sand dust in bulk. This exchange will remain available, but trade medal earning will be discontinued after the update.
Wishlist Function Adds New Trade Flow
A new wishlist feature—referred to in-game as the “want” function—will allow players to list up to 20 desired cards via the “My Cards” screen. Additionally, players can highlight three of these directly on their profile, visible to others when attempting trades. This aims to reduce the reliance on outside platforms like Discord or Twitter for arranging card swaps.
While it’s not quite the marketplace system that players from Pokémon TCG Online might remember, it does streamline the process. However, it remains to be seen if this simplified structure will be enough for competitive or high-volume traders.
Conversion Rates and Compensation
According to the official exchange chart:
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1 trade medal = 1 pack hourglass (limit 60)
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1 trade medal = 10 light sand (unlimited)
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10 trade medals = 100 light sand (unlimited)
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100 trade medals = 1,000 light sand (unlimited)
This system aims to compensate players who never used their trade medals. However, there’s no retroactive sand dust bonus for previously collected duplicates, which has frustrated some long-time players. You won’t be rewarded for cards pulled before the update—only for ones earned post-patch.
No Two-Star Cards Just Yet
Despite heavy speculation, two-star card support is not included in this update. Though many fans hoped for a surprise reveal, the feature was left out of the announcement. It’s now expected to arrive closer to the game’s first anniversary, likely in late fall or winter. Until then, wishlist and sand dust updates remain the only confirmed quality-of-life upgrades.
Pokemon Presents Reveal Incoming
The timing of this patch—July 30th in Japan, possibly July 29th elsewhere—lines up with the scheduled set reveal. It’s highly likely that this update will be showcased during the Pokemon Presents broadcast, alongside the new card set trailer. Expect a final teaser and confirmation during that event, possibly with more reward info or campaign incentives.
