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StatTrak CS2 Trade Up Contracts Guide

Everything you need to know about StatTrak trade up contracts in CS2: requirements, profit potential, market considerations, and how to find the best StatTrak trade ups.

1

StatTrak Trade Up Rules

StatTrak™ trade up contracts follow the same mechanics as normal contracts with one key constraint: all 10 inputs must be StatTrak. You cannot mix StatTrak and non-StatTrak skins. The output will always be a StatTrak skin.

All other rules remain the same: same rarity requirement, same collection weighting, same float calculation. However, there is one critical exception involving gloves — see the section below.

2

The Gloves Exception

In normal trade ups, Covert (red) skins can trade up to Special items, which can include gloves. This works fine for non-StatTrak contracts. But StatTrak gloves do not exist in CS2 — and since a StatTrak trade up must produce a StatTrak output, any Covert skin whose only Special-tier upgrade path leads to gloves cannot be used in a StatTrak trade up at all.

This means certain StatTrak Covert skins that look like valid inputs are actually completely ineligible for StatTrak contracts. Before building a StatTrak trade up, always verify that the output collection contains at least one Special skin (not just gloves). The simulator handles this automatically — it excludes these ineligible skins when the StatTrak toggle is active.

3

Profit Potential

StatTrak skins carry higher market premiums on both inputs and outputs, but the price multiplier on desirable outputs is often disproportionately larger — meaning the reward-to-cost ratio can be better than normal contracts.

For example, a normal Classified skin might be $15 while its StatTrak version is $45 (3x). But on the output side, a normal Covert might be $80 while its StatTrak version is $400 (5x). This asymmetry creates profit opportunities.

4

Market Considerations

The trade-off with StatTrak contracts:

  • Lower liquidity — Fewer StatTrak skins are listed on marketplaces, meaning specific floats are harder to find
  • Higher input cost — Your total investment per contract is larger, increasing the downside risk
  • Harder to sell outcomes — StatTrak outputs may take longer to sell due to the smaller buyer pool
  • Larger price swings — StatTrak prices are more volatile due to lower trading volume
5

Finding StatTrak Contracts in the Simulator

Toggle the StatTrak switch in the simulator to search only StatTrak contracts. The genetic algorithm will automatically filter for StatTrak-eligible skins and account for StatTrak pricing in its profitability calculations.

We recommend running StatTrak simulations at higher depth (150+) because the smaller pool of eligible skins means the algorithm needs more generations to find optimal combinations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are StatTrak CS2 trade up contracts more profitable?

They can be. StatTrak skins carry higher premiums, and the price multiplier on outputs is often disproportionately larger than on inputs. However, StatTrak inputs are less liquid and harder to source at exact floats, and outcomes may be harder to sell.

Can I mix StatTrak and non-StatTrak skins in a trade up?

No. All 10 inputs must be StatTrak for a StatTrak trade up contract. You cannot mix StatTrak and non-StatTrak skins. The output will always be StatTrak.

Why can't I use some StatTrak Covert skins in trade ups?

Because StatTrak gloves don't exist in CS2. If a Covert skin's collection only has gloves at the Special tier, there's no valid StatTrak output for the contract. The non-StatTrak version of that skin works fine in normal trade ups, but the StatTrak version is completely ineligible. The simulator automatically filters these out when the StatTrak toggle is on.

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