How to Trade CS:GO ( CS2 ) skins

One of the most delightful aspects of playing Counter-Strike is being able to equip custom skins to enhance the appearance of your weapons. However, skins aren’t only used in-game, as they also provide real-world value since they are transferable to other players.

The eligibility of moving CS2 skins from one account to another has created the availability of trading, which includes the exchanging, buying, and selling of these weapon skins. If you’re new to CS2 trading, we’ll teach you everything you need to know, from how to trade skins and how to sell them for real money.

Trading in CS2 refers to the procedure of exchanging cosmetic items with other players. These cosmetic items can include skins, cases, stickers, capsules, and other items that can be found on the Steam platform. 

Many players enjoy trading to cycle between skins they use in-game, while others try flipping their skins for a profit by finding favorable deals. Trading has made a large impact on the CS2 community, and is an incredibly popular activity. 

There are two primary types of trading in CS2:

• Barter trading: When players send each other a trade offer and exchange their skins.
• Cash trading: When players buy or sell skins with and for real money.

If you’re just getting started, let’s run you down through everything you need to know.

The first method of trading is very common, which involves barter trading, also known as peer-to-peer trading (P2P). This type of trading involves one party sending the other a “trade offer,” with the skins they are willing to offer and receive in exchange.

The receiver will get a notification of the offer, and can decide whether they will accept, decline, or send a counter offer, where they can edit the contents of the trade offer and send it back.

This method of trading revolves around a “Steam trade offer” link, which is a unique link possessed by every user on Steam. When your trade offer link is shared, the opposing party can open it and send a trade offer your way. Alternatively, you can also click on someone else’s trade offer link to initiate the trade.

Since the Steam trade offer link is so important, let’s figure out how you can find your own link:

1. Open your Steam client and go to your Inventory page. 
2. On the top-right, click on the blue “Trade Offers” button.
3. On the right-hand side, go to “Who can send me Trade Offers?”
4. Your Trade URL should be visible at the bottom.
5. Copy this link and share it with your trading partner.

If you would like to send someone else a trade offer, but do not have their link, follow the steps below:

1. Open the Steam profile of the person you are looking to trade CS2 skins with. 
2. On the right-hand side below their Steam level, click on the dropdown menu next to “...”
3. Next, click “Offer a Trade....”

However, keep in mind that their profile and inventory visibility must be set to Public for you to perform these steps. Alternatively, you an ask the person to send you their trade offer link instead.

Once you have sent the opposite party a trade offer, wait for their response. They can immediately accept the trade, decline it, or send a counter offer, which you will be notified for.

If you’re not looking to exchange skins with other players, and instead, want to deal with real money, you’ll have to understand the basics of the Steam Community Market, which is another method of how to trade CS2 skins. 

The Steam Community Market is the official marketplace of the Steam platform that is directly adhered by Valve Corporation, the owners of Steam and Counter-Strike. As a result, this marketplace is 100% safe and regulated.

The Steam Community Market allows players to buy and sell their Steam items, which includes CS2 skins, with and for Steam Wallet funds. You can list items for a set price, and other players can purchase it immediately. Alternatively, you can look for a skin and purchase them for yourself.

With Steam Wallet funds, you are not only limited to buying or selling CS2 skins, as you can also use it to buy games on Steam and other content from any game on the Steam platform.

The Steam Community Market is accessible to any Steam user who has enabled their Steam Guard. 

Here’s where you can find it:

1. Open your Steam client and hover over the “Community” section at the top. 
2. Once a handful of options appear, click on “Market.”
3. Here, you will immediately find yourself on the Steam Community Market.
4. Feel free to search for any items and use filtering tools to narrow down your search. 

To list an item for sale, click on the “Sell an item” button on the right-hand side. To purchase an item, simply go to the item’s store page and complete the transaction.

Unfortunately, Steam Wallet funds cannot be withdrawn or converted into real money, meaning it is stuck on the Steam platform. 

This is a huge drawback of the Steam Community Market, and the primary reason why advanced traders avoid using it. Instead, third-party trading sites are available, where you can transact with real-money methods. 

These third-party websites facilitate skin trading, allowing users to list their items and post their offers, also giving more flexibility in negotiation. However, these websites are not regulated by Valve, so it carries higher risks. 

At Fairness.gg, we have a list of trustworthy trading websites that will ensure your safety. Here is a list of notable websites we recommend:

• SkinSwap
• DMarket
• TradeIt
• SkinBaron
• CS.Deals

Make sure to use our referral code to receive deposit bonuses, reduced fees, and other bonuses!

For a full list of trading websites, feel free to dig deeper into our page! Hopefully, this quick guide has helped you understand how to trade CSGO skins effectively.