Trading has always been one of the most complicated aspects of Path of Exile. While Grinding Gear Games' ARPG has long had one of the deepest item economies in the genre, the actual act of buying and selling gear has been tedious at best, and downright frustrating at worst. Manually messaging sellers through whispers, waiting for them to respond, and often abandoning whatever activity you were doing to complete a trade is a process most players love to hate.

That's about to change in Path of Exile 2, thanks to the upcoming Rise of the Abyssal update (patch 0.3). Grinding Gear Games has revealed that the patch will introduce an asynchronous auto-trade system feature that allows items to be bought and sold without requiring both players to be online and actively engaging with one another.

This is easily one of the most unexpected announcements from the update, and it has major implications for the future of the PoE economy. Below, we'll break down exactly how this system works, how to use it, and what it means for the future of the game.

Why Auto-Trade Matters for Path of Exile 2

Before diving into the new mechanics, it's worth understanding why this change is so important.

Historically, trading in PoE has been a player-to-player interaction. You'd search for an item on the official trade site, copy a generated whisper, paste it into chat, and hope the seller was online and responsive. If they weren't, you were out of luck.

This design was intentional-GGG wanted to keep friction in the economy, discouraging players from rapidly flipping items without playing the game. But it also created pain points:

·Many trades were inconvenient or impossible if the seller wasn't online.

·Buyers often had to abandon mapping, bossing, or leveling to complete transactions.

·Sellers felt pressured to constantly monitor whispers to avoid missing opportunities.

By introducing asynchronous trade, Path of Exile 2 strikes a balance: it preserves some friction by introducing a small Gold cost to buyers, but it removes the worst pain points of traditional trading.

The NPC That Makes Auto-Trade Possible: Ange

The new system isn't just abstract menus-it's built into the world of Wraeclast. Auto-trade is facilitated by a new NPC, Ange, who acts as an assistant to Rog the Dealer. Lore fans will recognize Rog as one of the Expedition merchants in Path of Exile 1, known for his quirky approach to selling items. Ange now carries on that tradition in PoE2.

·Where to find Ange: She first appears in Kingsmarch (Act 4).

·Hideout option: Once unlocked, you can invite her to your hideout, making her easily accessible for ongoing trades.

·Quest unlock: If you don't yet have a hideout, Act 4 contains a side quest that will guide you through obtaining one.

Ange functions as the intermediary between players, handling both currency exchanges and item trades. Think of her as the in-game auction broker for PoE2's economy.

Selling Items with the New Auto-Trade System

Selling an item in Path of Exile 2's auto-trade system is straightforward, especially if you've ever priced gear before.

1. Move the item to Ange's inventory.

·Instead of relying on a Premium Stash Tab for listing, you provide items directly to her.

2. Set a price.

·Just like the old system, you'll assign a currency value to the item. Ange will handle the rest.

3. Ange lists the item automatically.

·The trade website will now display your item to potential buyers without requiring you to be online.

4. Collect your Path of Exile 2 Currency.

·When a trade completes, you'll receive a notification. Simply visit Ange to collect your earnings.

Important note: You still need at least one Premium Tab to enable selling. This maintains consistency with the original trade system.

This approach means sellers can play uninterrupted, knowing Ange is handling their shop in the background.

Buying Path of Exile 2 Items with the Auto-Trade System

The buying process has also been streamlined, but includes an important new twist.

1. Search the trade site.

·As always, you'll begin by looking up the item you want on PoE's official trade portal.

2. Click "Secure Item."

·Instead of generating a whisper message, you'll see a new button. Clicking it teleports you to the seller's hideout.

3. Complete the trade.

·Ange opens a trade window where you can see all the items the seller has listed. Simply put the required currency in your inventory and confirm the purchase.

4. Pay the extra Gold fee.

·In addition to the item's listed price (such as Chaos Orbs or Divine Orbs), buyers also need to pay Gold.

This extra cost serves as the balancing mechanism, preventing unrestricted flipping while still offering unmatched convenience.

Why Add a Gold Cost?

Grinding Gear Games is careful about maintaining economic stability in PoE. Completely frictionless trading would create problems: bots, flippers, and market manipulators could dominate even more aggressively than they do now.

By requiring Gold (a new universal currency in PoE2) for every transaction, GGG ensures:

·Players must still engage with content to earn Gold, preventing purely market-driven gameplay.

·Flipping becomes riskier since every transaction carries a tax.

·Gold retains value as both a gameplay resource and an economic gate.

This is a clever way to preserve the spirit of PoE's trade economy while addressing its biggest quality-of-life issues.

How Auto-Trade Changes the Economy

The asynchronous system is going to fundamentally reshape how players approach gear progression. Here are some of the biggest implications:

·Increased Accessibility: Casual players who previously struggled to complete trades will now be able to participate in the economy more easily.

·More Active Listings: With sellers no longer needing to be online, the total volume of items available at any time should increase.

·Stabilized Prices: More consistent availability may lead to less volatility in pricing, though early-league demand spikes will still occur.

·Reduced Downtime: Players will spend less time whispering to strangers and more time mapping, bossing, or exploring new league content.

That said, the Gold fee will prevent this system from becoming a completely frictionless auction house. It's a middle ground-streamlined but not automated to the point of trivialization.

Potential Concerns and Limitations

While most of the community has welcomed this change, there are some concerns worth mentioning:

·Gold Inflation: If Gold becomes too easy to farm, the balancing purpose of the fee might collapse.

·Market Bots: While auto-trade reduces one form of abuse, some players worry it could open the door to new kinds of automation.

·Endgame Economy: High-end item trading may still feel clunky if prices skyrocket due to Gold costs on top of rare-currency requirements.

·Seller Restrictions: Needing a Premium Tab may frustrate players hoping for a completely free-to-use system.

Ultimately, much depends on how GGG fine-tunes the Gold sinks and trade taxes once patch 0.3 launches.

Final Thoughts

The introduction of an asynchronous auto-trade system in Path of Exile 2's patch 0.3 is one of the most player-friendly changes Grinding Gear Games has made in years. While it doesn't create a full auction house, it removes the most frustrating parts of trading-waiting on sellers, missing opportunities, and interrupting your gameplay.

By tying the process to Ange, a new NPC, and requiring Gold fees for purchases, GGG has cleverly struck a balance between quality of life and economic integrity.

As with any major change, the system will need adjustments over time. But one thing is clear: Path of Exile 2's trade experience is about to become far smoother, making the already deep item economy more accessible than ever.

Whether you're a seasoned trader or a casual player looking for that perfect upgrade, patch 0.3 marks a new era in Wraeclast's economy.