Trade Tickets have been a part of NBA Top Shot since 2021 -- built on a simple, sustainable principle:
Every Trade Ticket exists because a Moment was permanently removed from circulation.
As the ecosystem evolves, the ways collectors could earn Trade Tickets expands, but the way they are created remains the same. This update clarifies that distinction and acknowledges where communication could have been clearer.
The Original System (2021)
When Trade Tickets launched in 2021, the promise was clear:
“Trading in your Moments will be the only way to obtain Trade Tickets, as they will not be sold by us nor transferable between collectors.”
At the time, “trading in” meant one thing — collectors sending Moments to The Locker Room in exchange for a Trade Ticket. Each Ticket represented a Moment leaving active circulation.
A follow up post expanded on this, explaining:
“Not even the Top Shot team can increase the supply of Trade Tickets without first trading in a Moment ourselves.”
In other words, whether burned by a collector or by Top Shot, every Ticket is backed 1:1 by a burned Moment.
What’s True Today
That principle remains intact.
Trade Tickets can only be created through collector or NBA Top Shot-led burns.
This season, NBA Top Shot has introduced a new way to obtain Trade Tickets via Set locking. These Tickets are drawn from the existing pool that The Top Shot team created through prior internal inventory burns. Earning a Trade Ticket via set locking operates as a double deflation mechanic - a burn from the Top Shot team to create the ticket, and a locked set to earn the ticket.
The system remains deeply deflationary and fully backed by burning.
Trade Tickets return to Top Shot in 2025-26 as an important economic mechanism with a commitment from the team: marquee drops this season will follow with Trade Ticket packs available.
Trade Ticket Packs mark a renewed, collector-first commitment within the Top Shot ecosystem. They let collectors rip new packs and burn unwanted Moments for a chance at the collectibles they truly love. It’s a fresh way to turn your “shoebox of bulk” into the chance for hits that are worth showing off. Trade Ticket packs are a big part of the 2025-26 season, and the excitement is just getting started.
