Trading

Trading is a gameplay feature in Pokémon GO. It enables trainers who are in close proximity to one another to trade Pokémon.

Trading
Trading Pokémon can be done between two friends that are in 100 m from each other in real life. All trades require both trainers to use Stardust. If swapping Pokémon already found within their Pokédexes, only a minimal amount of Stardust is required. This allows Trainers to freely trade most Pokémon that they encounter within reasonable limits, as Stardust is an important resource. Trading is special, and although several mechanics are in place to ensure that Trainers don’t take unfair advantage of it, there are also plenty of rewards to make these mechanics feel unique and personal.

Trainer level 10 is required for trading.

Process
The stats of the Pokémon will change randomly within a range when traded. Before a Trainer completes a trade, they will see the range of CP and HP that the Pokémon could potentially have when the trade is complete.

There's a thoughtful calculation to deciding that range:


 * 1) Check Friend's Trainer level to confirm the Pokémon is not powered up past what would ordinarily be obtainable for someone at that level.
 * 2) Assign new, fully random stat values with a minimum based on Friendship level, and that base increases the higher that level is.

In other words, as a Trainer's Friendship level increases with a friend, they will have a slightly better chance of receiving a strong Pokémon when trading. A Pokémon that may not be great in battle may excel in battle once traded to a friend, or it could become even worse.

Possible IV Ranges post-trade

 * Good Friends: 1-15
 * Great Friends: 2-15
 * Ultra Friends: 3-15
 * Best Friends: 5-15
 * Lucky Friends: 12-15

Re-trading
In order to bar Trainers from continually re-rolling a Pokémon's stats through trade, a traded Pokémon cannot be traded again. This feature promotes trading without giving a significant advantage to one Trainer over another. Trainers are currently limited to 100 trades per day.

Special trades
Special trades are all trades involving Legendary Pokémon, Shiny Pokémon, Purified Pokémon and Pokémon that have not been registered in the Pokédex.

Special Trades can only be done once per day to limit the number of times a single Trainer can make Special Trades with all of their friends. Special Trading does become more accessible over time. As the Friendship level between two Trainers increases, the amount of Stardust needed to complete a Special Trade will significantly decrease.

New friends, making high-value Special Trades of Legendary Pokémon, Shiny Pokémon, and Pokémon not currently in a Trainer's Pokédex, will have to spend a large portion of their Stardust to prevent exploitation and the creation of a black market, which would devalue the hard work of Trainers who have managed to encounter and catch rare or powerful Pokémon.

Banned trades
The following Pokémon are not allowed to trade.


 * Mythical (except Meltan & Melmetal)
 * "Slashed" (Pokémon acquired by spoofing or botting)
 * Current Buddy Pokémon
 * Pokémon currently defending gyms
 * Fainted or not at full health
 * Unhatched eggs
 * Shadow Pokémon
 * Pokémon that were already traded

Lucky Pokémon
When trading Pokémon, there is a chance that Pokémon can become a Lucky Pokémon. Lucky Pokémon require less Stardust to power up.

Candies
When you trade away a Pokémon, you get 1 of their candy as if you transferred it to the professor. Candy increases if the Pokémon were caught far apart. 2 candies are given if caught at least 10 km apart, and 3 candies over 100 km (which is the maximum; you do not get any more no matter how further they were caught apart).

Trading costs
Performing any Pokémon trade costs specific amount of stardust which depends on friendship levels and kind of trade (either it is regular or special trade).

Below there is a table with all possible costs for Pokémon trades. Regular Pokémon term includes regular Pokémon, region-exclusive Pokémon, baby Pokémon and starter Pokémon. (Or, everything that isn't either a Legendary or any Pokémon's Shiny form.) New Pokémon term means that Pokémon is not registered in trainer's Pokédex prior to the trade (ie: the Pokédex entry is either fully blank or grey for that exact form). It also includes a Pokémon's particular form &mdash; new letter forms of Unown, event costumed Pikachu, Alolan/Galar forms of Pokémon, Castform weather forms, etc. Note that any Shiny form that has not been registered counts as new; the cost is not affected by having registered the base form or even another Shiny form of a variant of that Pokémon (unless something happens like a Costume Shiny unintentionally resulting in registering the normal Shiny form of the species).

It is noticeable that costs for not registered regular Pokémon are the same as for already registered Shiny or Legendary Pokémon. Additionally, the friendship discount applies only to special trades and the value of regular trade is 100 regardless the friendship level.

Trade evolution
Since January, 2020, certain Pokémon result in no candy cost to evolve if it is previously traded.

Trading lower evolution (e.g. Machop) first also applies to this benefit.

Following Pokémon can evolve with the trade discount:

Trading tips
Following tips are displayed on the trading page during the waiting for another trainer to connect the trade.
 * You can only trade with friends who are nearby.
 * Special Trades can only occur once a day.
 * You can't trade a Pokémon that has been traded previously.
 * The stats of the traded Pokémon will randomly change after trading.
 * You can find the trading rules using the Help button located above.
 * If your friend’s Trainer level is lower than yours, the traded Pokémon’s potential CP and HP will be adjusted.
 * Pokémon not yet registered in your Pokédex require a Special Trade.
 * Your Friendship level must reach Good Friend in order to complete a Special Trade.
 * You'll receive bonus Candy if the locations where the traded Pokémon were caught are far apart (up to around 100 km).
 * The amount of Stardust required for trading drastically reduces as your Friendship level increases.
 * Shiny Pokémon, Legendary Pokémon, and Pokémon not currently in your Pokédex require a Special Trade.
 * Completing a Special Trade requires a large amount of Stardust.
 * Your Friendship level with a friend increases when you trade Pokémon to each other frequently.
 * Mythical Pokémon can't be traded.

2016
Trading has existed in the game's data as early as August 2016, where it was interpreted as an "online marketplace".

2017
In March 2017, Niantic gave more information about the upcoming mechanic. They stated that "the person needs to be in your proximity" in order for trading to occur.

2018
On June, 2018, one of the most anticipated game features by players was finally announced to be released soon.

Trivia

 * Normally, certain Pokémon, such as Legendary Pokémon, are obtained with Individual Values that can not be lower than a 10. However, trading one of those to a friend, may result in any stat being lower than a 10, as trades have different lower IV bounds based on Friendship level. This includes Egg-only (baby Pokémon) and Raid-exclusives.
 * However, as some Legendary Pokémon can be obtained from Team GO Rocket, and as such do not have the same lower bound, trading a purified Legendary may actually result in significantly better IVs than it had before.
 * Pokémon received through trading count towards progress such as medals for catching that type of Pokémon.
 * Searching the phrase "traded" and "tradeevolve" in Pokémon search return the list of all traded Pokémon and Pokémon eligible for trade evolution bonuses respectively.
 * From November to, 2020, a limited-time test allowed trading distance to be 12 km at max. The exact distance is only mentioned in Korean blog post.
 * From November to, 2020, another limited-time test allowed trading distance to about 50 km at max.
 * It was extended to November, 2020.