Pokémon GO Remote Trading & Forever Friends Explained - Full Guide (2025 Update) | PokeInsight

Pokémon GO has now introduced Remote Trading, allowing players to trade Pokémon without needing to be physically next to each other.
This feature works through a new system called Forever Friends, which officially refers to friends you can trade with remotely.

This marks one of Pokémon GO’s biggest social updates, expanding long-distance trading options while still maintaining meaningful game balance.

What Are Forever Friends in Pokémon GO?

Forever Friends is the term used for Pokémon GO friends who meet the trading eligibility requirement for Remote Trading.

In practice:

Forever Friends = Best Friends level
Only Forever Friends can use Remote Trade when the feature is active

This naming reinforces the idea that long-term friendship investment is rewarded with exclusive functionality.

What Is Remote Trading?

Remote Trading allows two Forever Friends to trade Pokémon from anywhere, without needing physical proximity.

When active, players can:

Open a friend profile
Select the trade option
Exchange Pokémon remotely
Pay Stardust based on normal trade rules

Requirements for Remote Trading

Players must:

✔ Reach Best Friends status
✔ Be in a period where Remote Trading is enabled
✔ Have Stardust to cover trade costs

No lower friendship tier qualifies — the mechanic is tied to your highest-bonded friends.

This mirrors standard trading but removes physical distance requirements.

What Can You Trade?

Remote Trading follows normal rules:

Most Pokémon can be traded
Special Trades (Legendary, Mythical, Shinies) still count once per day
IV rerolls still apply to traded Pokémon

Some species may be restricted based on event rules or Niantic adjustments.

Stardust Costs Still Apply

Trading remotely does not remove normal costs.

Costs scale based on:

Whether the Pokémon is new to your Pokédex
Whether it is shiny, regional, or mythical
Your friendship discount bonus

For Forever Friends, Stardust reduction is at the maximum discount level, so remote trading is most cost effective between Best Friends.

Availability and Activation Windows

Remote Trading is not guaranteed at all times — it appears during:

Seasonal game updates
Social-themed events
System-wide rollout tests

These windows allow Niantic to monitor performance and player behaviour.

Benefits of Remote Trading & Forever Friends

✨ Access rare regional Pokémon
✨ Trade shinies collected from global events
✨ Dex completion flexibility
✨ Removes physical meetup barriers
✨ Rewards long-term social connection

This feature is especially helpful for rural players, disabled communities, or global friend networks.

Common Misunderstanding: Is Forever Friends a New Tier?

No — Forever Friends is not a new rank.

It is an official label for eligible Best Friends who can trade remotely.

Best Friends remains the highest friendship rank, and reaching it is how you unlock Forever Friend status.

🔹 Will Remote Trading Become Permanent?

Remote Trading currently activates periodically, suggesting Niantic is:

Testing stability
Measuring engagement
Adjusting restrictions

While long-term permanence remains unconfirmed, the naming of Forever Friends implies this mechanic is intended to be core to the game moving forward.

🔹 Final Thoughts

Remote Trading and Forever Friends transform one of Pokémon GO’s oldest requests into reality:

You can trade with your closest friends — from anywhere.

It preserves balance through limitations while strengthening social bonds and accessibility.

As Niantic refines Remote Trading frequency and availability, players should expect:

✔ more trade windows
✔ potentially expanded features
✔ new social incentives

This is one of Pokémon GO’s most impactful updates to date.

Pokémon GO Remote Trading & Forever Friends Explained - Full Guide (2025 Update)