win.gg
Win.gg Counter-Strike How much money do CSGO skin traders actually make?

How much money do CSGO skin traders actually make?

Author Icon
William Davis Published 30/03/2023

Skins can be big money in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and committing to them as a real job can yield massive returns.

It’s often thought that CSGO traders are in it for the love of the game, but many of them make a shockingly large amount of money by trading digital assets. The relatively unknown industry has finally been analyzed by EX CORP, and the results are surprising.

Despite taking just a few hours a week for most traders, the top 10% of trader claim to earn between $2,500 and $10,000 a month from their collections. Here’s how much money CSGO skin traders make in an industry with an estimated market cap of $3 billion.

How much money do CSGO skin traders earn?

According to EX CORP’s analysis, the top tenth of CSGO skin trader makes between $2,500 and $10,000 a month from trades.

EX CORP polled 41 established skin traders to learn how and why they got into the business. The answers varied, with 61% using skins as both in-game cosmetics and investment pieces. The stakes of each trade varied, with some users preferring high-volume investments in cheaper skins while others exclusively focused on flashy pieces like Katowice 2014 stickers or ultra-rare knives.

As for how they actually make money, 40% of traders said that their purchases are effectively spontaneous, relying on previous research. A shocking 17% of users admitted to using bots and other digital tools to inform their decision-making, if not outright automating the process. The selling process was not discussed, but many purchase items from third-party sites with the intention of selling them elsewhere for a higher price.

CSGO skin traders poll results

With these numbers in mind, you may be tempted to dump thousands into CSGO skins and try your hand at becoming a trader yourself. However, it’s not as easy as it may seem. The surveyed traders have years of experience under their belts and the necessary connections to flip pixels for profit. In addition, many of them have spent tens of thousands just starting their collection.

Time is also a crucial factor, as most high-end skins have slowly increased in price as opposed to sudden jumps.

William Davis
About William Davis

View full profile
Read Also
Team Vitality vs Team Spirit: IEM Rio 2026 grand final predictions Counter-Strike
Team Vitality vs Team Spirit: IEM Rio 2026 grand final predictions Owen Harsono Team Spirit look to deny Team Vitality's second ESL Grand Slam by taking them down in the grand final of IEM Rio 2026. Can the Eastern European squad win their first trophy of the year, or will we see yet another trophy for Vitality? Here are our IEM Rio 2026 Team Vitality vs Team Spirit predictions. Tournament: IEM Rio 2026 Stage: Grand Final Game: Counter-Strike 2 Format: Best of 5 ...
Team Vitality vs FURIA: IEM Rio 2026 predictions and odds Counter-Strike
Team Vitality vs FURIA: IEM Rio 2026 predictions and odds Owen Harsono Team Vitality take on the hometown heroes of FURIA in the IEM Rio 2026 semi final. This is a matchup for the books, and is shaping up to be the most anticipated series of the event. Here are our Team Vitality vs FURIA IEM Rio 2026 predictions. Tournament: IEM Rio 2026 Stage: Semi Final Game: Counter-Strike 2 Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: Both teams are extra motivated to win ...
Team Falcons vs Team Spirit: IEM Rio 2026 predictions and odds Counter-Strike
Team Falcons vs Team Spirit: IEM Rio 2026 predictions and odds Owen Harsono Team Falcons will take on a familiar opponent in the form of Team Spirit in the first semi final match of IEM Rio 2026. Both teams are still looking for their first trophy this year, and a win here would put them one step into the right direction. Here are our Team Falcons vs Team Spirit IEM Rio 2026 predictions.  Tournament: IEM Rio 2026 Stage: Semi Final Game: Counter-Strike 2 ...
ESL Will Pay Teams $100K to Beat Team Vitality in IEM Rio Grand Final Counter-Strike
ESL Will Pay Teams $100K to Beat Team Vitality in IEM Rio Grand Final Owen Harsono Team Vitality have run rampant in the CS2 scene, destroying every team and winning tournaments with little to no issue. They’re on their way to winning their second ESL Grand Slam title at IEM Rio 2026, which is why ESL are taking matters into their own hands. The ESL Grand Slam is an additional series that rewards teams for winning four ESL events in the span of 10 consecutive events. ...
ESL FACEIT Group announces Kick partnership, here’s what we know Kick
ESL FACEIT Group announces Kick partnership, here’s what we know Khizar Mundia ESL FACEIT Group and Kick have signed a partnership that will allow the platform to distribute and broadcast select official CS2 and Dota 2 tournaments. Esports broadcasting rights are an important element for major streaming platforms, as popular tournaments draw millions of viewers. The esports broadcasting network is substantially fragmented as no one platform holds exclusive rights for major tournaments. Kick has been trying to get into the esports scene ...
CS2 pro karrigan reportedly set to leave FaZe for Falcons Counter-Strike
CS2 pro karrigan reportedly set to leave FaZe for Falcons Hannan Mundia Finn “karrigan” Andersen has been a cornerstone of FaZe’s CS2 team since 2021, but that may be set to change with his reported departure for Falcons. The competitive CS2 scene has a handful of reliable teams that consist of strong players. FaZe used to be part of that list, but the team’s futile attempt to qualify for the IEM Cologne Major left much to be desired. It seems that the ...
IEM Rio 2026: Teams, Format, Schedule and Prize Pool Counter-Strike
IEM Rio 2026: Teams, Format, Schedule and Prize Pool Owen Harsono Counter-Strike returns to the passionate grounds of Brazil, with IEM Rio 2026. We’ll get to witness some of the top CS2 teams competing for a prize pool of $1,000,000. Here is everything you need to know about IEM Rio 2026. IEM Rio 2026 will be one of the shorter Tier 1 events of the year, only running for seven days in total. The event will be played in front of ...