How does it work?
To receive skin balance, you must use trade tracking so we can verify that the buyer has accepted your skin.
You can use this balance to purchase eligible skins on the marketplace.
Skin balance can only be used to buy eligible skins. It cannot be used for gambling.
You can combine skin balance with normal balance when purchasing skins. Any available skin balance will always be spent first.
Any unused skin balance automatically converts to regular balance once the trade protection period ends.
What's the point?
Skin balance is mainly for users who want to trade their skins for something new without waiting a week. You don't have to use it, but the option is there.
For example, if you're tired of your current knife and want to swap it for another, you can sell it on the marketplace and use your skin balance to buy a new one right away. It's essentially a way to trade skins without the usual 7-day delay.
Why can't I buy certain skins?
Not all skins are eligible for purchase with skin balance. You can use the 'Skin balance eligible' filter, or look for the skin balance icon on item cards.
You can also buy these skins with normal balance.
Example
Let's say you sell a knife for 100 coins and qualify for 20 coins in instant credits.
You'll receive:
20 coins in normal balance
80 coins in skin balance
You then buy an eligible M4 skin for 25 coins, leaving you with 55 coins in skin balance.
Once the knife's trade protection ends, those 55 coins convert to normal balance.
What happens if I reverse a trade?
Please don't do this 🙏
Using the example above, if you reverse the knife trade:
You'll get your knife back.
The M4 will be returned to the seller.
Your remaining 55 skin balance will be removed.
If you've already spent the 20 coins in regular balance (from your instant credits), you'll end up with a -20 coin balance.
We reserve the right to confiscate unclaimed rewards, including your daily reward pool, to cover any negative balance. You can read more about this in our Skin Trading Policy, under 'Trade Reversals'.
Who can use skin balance?
Skin balance is currently available to selected users as part of a beta test. We plan to make it available to all users in late November 2026.
Other questions
Can I use skin balance to place buy orders?
No
Can I use skin balance for auctions?
Yes, if the skin is eligible
What happens if the seller reverses?
This should never happen, but if they do, you get your skin balance back - or normal balance if your deposit is already fully completed.