Your trade link is in the Steam trade settings: open your inventory, click "Trade Offers," then "Who can send me Trade Offers?" and scroll down to the "Third-Party Sites" block. There you will find a field with a link like https://steamcommunity.com/tradeoffer/new/?partner=...&token=..., which you can copy with one click. The fastest way to reach that page is steamcommunity.com/my/tradeoffers/privacy, provided you are signed in to Steam in your browser.
You need a trade link to trade CS2 skins with people who are not on your friends list and to receive or sell items on third-party marketplaces such as LIS-SKINS: without it, a site cannot deliver a purchased skin to your account. It works the same way it did in the CS:GO days, since the Steam menus have barely changed.
What a Trade Link Is and Where to Find It
A trade link is a unique address that lets anyone who has it open a trade offer window with you. Every Steam profile has one. To view yours, follow these steps:
go to your Steam inventory and click the "Trade Offers" button;
select "Who can send me Trade Offers?";
scroll down to the "Third-Party Sites" section;
copy the link from the field: this is the link you enter on skin marketplaces and send to other players.
Next to the "Trade Offers" button, open the inventory privacy settings and set your inventory to "Public." If the inventory is private or visible to friends only, other users cannot trade with you and sites cannot send you items.
Only one trade link is tied to an account at any given time. If you created yours long ago and posted it on many sites, you may start receiving offers from strangers. That is why it helps to know not only where to find your trade link but also how to change it, which is also a way to protect yourself from scammers.
To change your trade link, open the same section and click "Create new URL." The link is replaced, and the old one stops working. If you posted it elsewhere, for example on social media or in a marketplace profile, update it there so trade offers keep reaching you.
How to Make a Trade
Once you have your trade link, the trade itself is straightforward. Both players do not need to be online at the same time: if you share the link where others can see it, such as a forum thread or social media, anyone can send you an offer. You will see it the next time you open Steam and can accept or decline it. Every way of transferring items is covered step by step in our guide on how to trade skins in CS2.
On third-party marketplaces, you usually enter your trade link once in your profile settings. After that, the site sends purchased items straight to your account, and when you sell, you hand the skin over through a trade offer. The link opens up a lot: you can trade with anyone, not just friends, and buy skins wherever the price is better.
Possible Restrictions
Sometimes you have the trade link, but the trade still does not go through. The reason is usually a restriction on specific items or on the whole account. Since July 2025, CS2 has Trade Protection: the sender can reverse any trade within 7 days, and received items are locked for that period, so they cannot be traded again or sold on the Steam Community Market. The rules are explained in detail in our article on Steam Trade Protection.
Other Steam security measures can also apply. If you recently changed the phone number or email on your account, trading may be blocked for a while. This protects you if scammers gain access to the account and change its details: they cannot move your items out right away.
If your account is protected by the Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator, every trade has to be confirmed on your phone. It may feel like an extra step, but it makes trading safer and reduces the risk of mistakes or theft. Without the mobile authenticator, received items are held longer: those accounts still have the old 15-day hold.
How to Use a Trade Link Safely
You can trade with Steam friends without a link. You typically need it when using a third-party site, so a few rules are worth following:
before entering your trade link or buying on a site, read reviews and the site's terms;
follow the instructions of the site you are using exactly;
do not ignore browser or antivirus warnings, and check the site address;
never enter your Steam username and password on third-party sites and never share your API key with anyone: that is how a common scheme works, described in our article on what a Steam API scam is;
check carefully which items you receive and give away, so you do not fall for a swapped item or accept an empty trade in which you hand over skins and get nothing back;
do not use your trade link on lottery, giveaway, or other skin gambling sites, where the risk of losing your items and money is high.
Sharing your trade link carries no risk on its own: it only allows someone to propose a trade, and nothing leaves your inventory without your confirmation. When trading with strangers, though, it is easy to make a mistake and undervalue your items, so check the market value of the skins before you agree. More ways to keep your items safe are covered in our guide on how to protect your inventory from scammers.
Buying skins for real money from private individuals is not a good idea: there is a high chance the trade never arrives after you pay. For these deals, use an established marketplace such as LIS-SKINS. You can buy or sell skins here in a few minutes, and the trade offer arrives at your trade link right after payment. LIS-SKINS offers skins both with and without the Trade Protection lock, and when you sell, you can withdraw the money. Learn more in our guide on how to sell CS2 skins without the Trade Protection delay.
FAQ
What is the quickest way to open my Steam trade link?
Sign in to Steam in your browser and go to steamcommunity.com/my/tradeoffers/privacy. The link is in the "Third-Party Sites" block, with a button next to the field to copy it.
Is it safe to give someone my trade link?
Yes. A trade link only lets someone send you a trade offer, and only you can accept it. The real dangers are entering your Steam login on third-party sites and sharing your API key.
How do I change my trade link?
In the same section, click "Create new URL." The old link stops working immediately, so update it on every site where you entered it.
Why are trade offers not arriving through my trade link?
Usually the inventory is private, the link is outdated after a change, or the account has a temporary trade restriction. Check your inventory privacy and make sure the link is current.
