Together, Trainers can now reach a new Friendship level…Forever Friends! This new, higher Friendship level (above Best Friends) offers rewards and XP along with two new perks.

• When you become Forever Friends with a fellow Trainer, you’ll get to make a Remote Trade with each other!
• You can keep engaging with your Forever Friends to earn friendship points. Earning more friendship points nets you rewards, including XP and additional Remote Trades. But take note, Trainers can only have one Remote Trade available with each Forever Friend, so consider making that trade before you get enough friendship points to earn another.

Friendship points are the new way to track your friendship progression with other Trainers. Trainers can earn up to one friendship point per day with each friend by battling together, trading, sending Gifts, or completing other interactions.

Trainers can also earn additional friendship points by completing weekly challenges together.

To get ready for your first Remote Trade, you’ll be asked to use a special Remote Trade tag to mark the Pokémon that you would be willing to trade with your Forever Friends. Once you become Forever Friends with someone, you’ll each be able to see the Pokémon that the other person has marked with the Remote Trade tag—these are the Pokémon that they are willing to trade.

To kick off a Remote Trade, each Trainer takes turns selecting up to three of their friend’s tagged Pokémon that they would be happy to receive. These “wish lists” are sent to the other Trainer. Each Trainer selects one of the requested Pokémon to offer to the other. Both Trainers then review the final offerings and have the chance to confirm or cancel. Throughout the Remote Trade process, either Trainer has the option to decline the current request and start the process over.

If you’re Lucky Friends, your next trade will be lucky—even if it’s remote!* And Remote Trades don’t count as Special Trades, regardless of which Pokémon were traded remotely.

The following Pokémon cannot be included in a Remote Trade.

• Pokémon caught in the last 30 days
• Previously traded Pokémon
• Shadow Pokémon
• Mythical Pokémon
• Pokémon defending Gyms or Power Spots
• Pokémon currently set as your buddy
• Actively Mega-Evolved Pokémon
• Fused Pokémon
• Crowned Sword Zacian and Crowned Shield Zamazenta
• Pokémon placed at Pokémon Playgrounds

Weekly challenges allow you to team up with up to three other Trainers from your Friend List, no matter where they are, to take on a group challenge each week. You can earn rewards including XP, and additional friendship points.

• The max number of friends is being increased from 450 to 650 over the next several weeks by increments of 50.

There will be a free Timed Research opportunity available to Trainers starting Monday, December 15, at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, December 29, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. local time.

Complete the Timed Research to encounter a Scatterbug. Timed Research tasks will also award XP, Stardust, and more!