CS2 Trade Up Contract: What You Get & How It Works

A CS2 Trade Up Contract lets you trade in 10 skins of the same rarity to receive one skin of the next rarity up. You choose the 10 items, and the game randomly selects the result from a defined pool of possible outcomes based on the collections those items belong to. This guide explains the exact mechanics, how to choose items strategically, and what you can realistically expect to get.

Background: How Trade Up Contracts Came to CS:GO

The Trade Up Contract was introduced in 2013 as part of the Arms Deal update, which also brought the first weapon cases and skins to CS:GO. It was designed as a way to recycle unwanted skins and add a gambling-like excitement to skin collection. The mechanic carried over to CS2 unchanged, and it remains one of the most popular ways to upgrade skins without spending real money on the Steam Community Market.

Every skin belongs to a collection—either a case collection (e.g., the Revolution Case) or a map collection (e.g., the Dust 2 Collection). When you trade up, the game looks at the collections of your 10 input items and creates a pool of all possible outputs at the next rarity level from those same collections. The result is then chosen randomly from that pool, with each input item contributing an equal weight.

How the Trade Up Contract Works Step by Step

1. Open the Trade Up Contract from your CS2 inventory (it’s in the top-right corner of the main menu).
2. Select 10 skins that are all the same rarity (e.g., all Consumer Grade, all Industrial Grade, etc.).
3. The game automatically displays the possible outcomes and their probabilities based on your selections.
4. Click “Trade Up� to consume the 10 items and receive one skin of the next rarity.

The 10 items are permanently destroyed. You cannot undo a trade up, and there is no way to influence the random selection beyond choosing which collections to draw from.

How to Choose the Right Input Skins

The key to a good trade up is controlling the output pool. You want to maximize the chance of getting a high-value skin while minimizing the chance of a low-value one. Here are the main factors to consider:

• Collection choice: Each collection has a different set of skins at the next rarity. Some collections have only one skin at that rarity (giving you a 100% chance), while others have several.
• Skin value: The market value of the output skin varies wildly. A trade up that guarantees a particular skin might still be a loss if that skin is cheap. Compare the cost of 10 input skins to the expected value of the output.
• Wear condition: The wear of the output skin is also randomly determined, but it’s influenced by the average wear of your input items. A lower average float (wear value) increases the chance of a better float on the output, which can significantly increase its value.

For example, if you want a specific purple skin from the Dust 2 Collection, you should use all 10 input slots with Dust 2 Collection blues. That guarantees the purple you want, but you’ll pay a premium for those specific blue skins. Alternatively, you could mix collections to lower the cost, but then you risk getting a cheaper purple from the other collection.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

One of the most common mistakes is assuming that the odds of getting a skin are based on the number of items from that collection, not the number of skins in the collection. Another misconception is that using higher-wear items gives you a better chance at a StatTrak or souvenir skin—it doesn’t. StatTrak and souvenir are separate versions, and they cannot be obtained through trade ups at all.

Another issue is that many players don’t realize that the output skin’s wear is calculated from the average float of the 10 input items. If you mix a float of 0.01 with a float of 0.9, the average is around 0.45, which will likely result in a Field-Tested or Well-Worn output. To get a Factory New output, all 10 inputs should have very low floats.

Costs and Expected Value

Trade up contracts are not free—you sacrifice 10 skins. The true cost is the combined market value of those 10 skins. To determine if a trade up is worthwhile, calculate the expected value (EV):

EV = (Probability of skin A × Value of skin A) + (Probability of skin B × Value of skin B) + …

If the EV is higher than the total cost of your inputs, you’re statistically ahead. But remember, EV is an average over many attempts—a single trade up can still lose money. Also, the Steam Community Market takes a 15% fee on sales, so factor that into your calculations if you plan to sell the result.

Safety and Alternatives

Trade up contracts are a safe, official feature of CS2—they don’t involve third-party sites or real-money gambling in the traditional sense. However, you should be aware that the value of skins fluctuates, and there is always a risk that the skin you receive will be worth less than your 10 inputs. Never trade up skins you aren’t willing to lose.

Alternatives to trade ups include:

• Selling your skins directly on the Steam Community Market and buying the skin you want.
• Using third-party marketplaces (though these carry their own risks and are not endorsed by Valve).
• Opening cases (which is also a gamble, but with a different cost structure).

If your goal is a specific skin, selling and buying is almost always cheaper than relying on a trade up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a StatTrak skin from a trade up?

No. Trade up contracts only produce standard (non-StatTrak) skins. StatTrak skins can only be obtained from case openings or by trading with other players.

Does the wear (float) of my input skins affect the output?

Yes. The output’s float is calculated as the average of the 10 input floats, with some random variation. A lower average float increases the chance of a better wear condition on the result.

Can I trade up knives or gloves?

No. Knives and gloves are only available from cases, and they are not part of any trade up collection. The highest rarity you can get from a trade up is a Covert (red) skin.

What happens if I use 10 skins from different collections?

The output pool will include all possible skins from each collection at the next rarity. The probability of each skin is proportional to the number of input items from that collection. For example, if you use 3 from Collection A and 7 from Collection B, each skin in A’s pool has a 30% chance, and each in B’s pool has a 70% chance.

Is there a way to guarantee a specific skin?

Yes, if a collection has only one skin at the next rarity level, and you use all 10 input slots from that collection, you are guaranteed to get that skin. However, this is only possible for certain collections where the next rarity has a single skin.

Do trade up contracts work in CS2 exactly like in CS:GO?

Yes. The mechanic is identical. The only difference is the interface, which is slightly updated in CS2, but the rules and probabilities remain the same.

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