There are many different ways to trade in FIFA Ultimate Team, but how can you make the most of your coins?
Trading is often overlooked by the casual FIFA player, but it is a vital part of the game that can enable you to bring in players that would otherwise be out of your price range.
Not sure where to start? Take a look at some FUT trading tips from some of the world’s top traders.
Trading time
What is trading on Ultimate Team and why is it so important?
Well, cast your mind back to the ‘Black Market Icon Scandal’ of a few months ago and the importance of trading came to the fore.
To summarise, FUT fans were unhappy that Icons were unattainable which is why players had resorted to underhand means of acquiring them.
This was then met by the following statement from EA speaking to The Mirror.
"FIFA Ultimate Team is a multi-faceted game of skill. It’s important to note that you can acquire all items in the game without ever spending money, with purchases being entirely optional.
"Any professional competitive player needs to demonstrate the skills of the meta-game in order to be considered proficient enough to compete at an Elite level, which includes trading, economy monitoring, squad rotation and challenge completion.
"Although the goal is to win matches, FUT isn’t just about playing simulation football in the stadium, just as football isn’t solely about performance on match day – there are many areas where players need to be better than their peers in order to create advantage on the pitch.
"Progression is a prerequisite if you intend to be a professional player in any sport and esports are no different."
Effectively, players of all abilities can build their ‘Ultimate Team’ without spending a penny if they master all aspects of the game.
So, let’s look at how to do so.
Market Crashes
One of the easiest ways to make a few coins is to recognise a potential market crash and sell your team before it happens, then buy it back at the new, lower price.
Market crashes are most likely when there are mass pack openings, like during Team of the Season (TOTS) and Team of the Year (TOTY) events.
“TOTY cards are some of the most valuable cards in the entire game - because of this, FUT players around the world typically open an insane amount of packs with the hopes of getting a TOTY player,” says Red Bull’s Phillip Ekuwem.
“By selling your team, you’ll be able to preserve the value of your coins, instead of losing coins when the market crash occurs.” Pretty simple.
You can also maximise profits during these times too by buying players in bulk at their lowest price, before selling them when their stock rises again.
FUT Trading Methods explain that “while most FUT players are panicking you can use the sudden market downturn to your advantage.
“A market crash is a great time to invest your FUT coins Almost every player is down in value during a big market crash, meaning you can make coins on lots of players.”
With two ways of utilising market crashes with minimal effort, this is the easiest way to maximise profits.
Patience is a virtue
Small gains can be made from buying and selling players at the right times.
“The best time to buy your players are between the days of Monday and Wednesday evening,” according to European FIFA champion Tom “Hashtag Tom” Leese.
“The weekend league finishes early on a Monday morning and therefore players often sell their squad to make changes in time for the next Weekend League.
“As a result of this, the market becomes more populated, with sellers undercutting each other in order to get their players sold.
“This is perfect for a buyer as you are likely to be able to purchase a player for less than his normal price.”
This can require some patience to get cards at the best price, but all those marginal gains will add up in the long run.
Peak times
Unsurprisingly, the time to sell your players also revolves around Weekend League as players look to strengthen before the competition starts.
“The best time to sell your players is probably on a Thursday night as everybody will be scrambling to complete their squads for their weekend league,” says Hashtag Tom.
“This is because players tend to make upgrades/changes to their team after opening their rewards Thursday morning.
“Selling your players during the Weekend League window can have different implications. Player prices will be at their highest at the beginning of Weekend League and as it progresses, prices decrease.”
Again, these gains can be marginal, but over the course of the season, they can add those handy extra coins.
Real-world events
Keeping an eye on what is happening in the real world can give you the edge when it comes to FUT trading.
Dynamic cards like Ones to Watch and Headliners are impacted by real-life performances so you can pick up profits by picking up these cards early.
If you can get these cards at their lowest, when the ratings are upgraded you can make great profits on the right cards.
The same logic applies to Team of the Week (TOTW) cards.
Players selected in TOTW have their basic cards removed, and these then rise in value.
Investing in these basic cards can see some small profit returns and it is a simple process, as long as you get there quickly.
SBC Stockpiling
Towards the end of the season, TOTW cards and players with 83 OVR shoot up in value.
This is because we see repeatable SBCs released, which causes FUT players to raid the market in a hurry to complete the challenges.
Ekuwem explains “Investing in 83-rated players is a sure-fire way to make some coins during any big promo.
“You’ll be able to sell the 83-rated players you’re invested in for a sizable profit, allowing you to have enough coins to take advantage of other coin-making opportunities in the transfer market.”
Stockpiling these players can provide big profits or save you money if you want to complete the SBCs yourself.
Team of the Season game plan
Some of us have been saving their packs for the main event (Ultimate Team of the Season) which should be arriving in a few weeks’ time.
Taking into account all of the information above, there are some clear action plans to make use of during the Team of the Season event.
First off, Weekend League will be ultra-competitive during the event as the TOTS players make up the FUT Champs Red Picks Rewards, meaning those little profits at the right times will be solid.
It is too late to stockpile as the price of rare gold players has rocketed up (Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s price has doubled in just two weeks).
You can still track real-life football too as they will still impact price fluctuations with Team of the Week and the dynamic card sets.
Good luck, and happy trading!