Guide to Obtaining and Selling the WoW Token

By Wowhead Updated: 2020/04/06

WoW TokenWoWToken.infoWoW Token Basics

WoW Tokens provides a more fluid way for players to obtain subscription time, Battle.net balance, and gold. Players have the option to obtain subscription time via the AH for gold, or make some extra gold by purchasing tokens for money and selling them on the AH.

Extra gold is obtained by purchasing WoW Token via the in-game shop for cash ($20 USD/$25 AUD/20 EUR) and then selling it on the WoW Token Auction House.

30 days of subscription time is acquired with gold by purchasing a token from the "WoW Token" section on the AH, and then exchanging that token for game time. Lapsed accounts with enough gold can reactivate accounts via the "Reactivate via Gold" option on the character select screen.

WoW Tokens are part of a special region-wide Auction House. Everything else for sale on the AH is server-wide. This means that anyone on a US server can purchase your WoW Token if you list it from a US realm.

The gold price for these tokens on the AH is not set by players--it is set via an internal algorithm. It will automatically increase and decrease based on supply and demand. You cannot choose what price you want to list the token for or the duration of the auction. All tokens for sale in a region will be sold for the same price at a particular moment.

WoW Token (silver background) is the item that can be sold on the AH. This is different from WoW Token (gold background) which is the item that grants you game time. This is handy as you can't accidentally click on WoW Token and use the item on yourself!

Selling WoW Token and Getting GoldWoW TokenWoW TokenObtaining WoW Token via the In-Game Shop with Cash

Open up the In-Game Shop. The in-game shop button can be accessed in four different places:
On the bottom-left side of the character select screen

At the top of the Game Menu accessed via "Escape"

The Interface panel to the left of the Game Menu button.

The Help Window that appears when the help button is clicked on the WoW Token AH display.

WoW TokenSelling WoW Token on the Auction House

Visit any Auction House and click on the "Auctions" tab. Right-click on your WoW Token to have it show up under "Auction Item."

When the auction is set up, it will display the current fixed gold price and the estimated time to sell. If you are happy with the price, click the "Create Auction" button. You do not set the price, Blizzard does via their internal algorithm based off supply and demand.

A confirmation window will pop up stating the exact gold price, that your Token can't be refunded, and that the auction cannot be cancelled. If you are fine with this, click on "Create Auction."

The Auction is now created and shows up with your other auctions on the "Auction" tab.

The seller cannot specify the Buyout price and Auction Duration for the WoW Token, and buyers can only buyout WoW Token, not bid. There is no deposit.

You are sent the amount of gold promised to you in the confirmation window. If the price of the token has gone up or down since you listed it, that does not affect the amount of gold you will get.

Buying WoW Token and Getting Game Time

Visit any Auction House and click on the "Game Time" option on the left-hand side of the "Browse" tab.

Instead of a list of items, names, and prices as you are used to on the AH, you will see a screen just displaying WoW Token, the current price (no negotiations), and a Buyout button.

There is a help button at the top right of the AH panel explaining the WoW Token system in more detail.

Click on the Buyout button to obtain WoW Token.

Pick up your WoW Token from the mailbox, as you would with a regular auction.

Click on the token in your bags, which will bring up several confirmation windows to add 30 days of game time to your World of Warcraft account. These windows are handy as they show your current and new account expiration dates.

A maximum of 10 WoW Tokens can be bought per week, a maximum of 36 every 24 months, and players may have a maximum of 10 tokens in their inventory at one time.

WoW TokenWoW Token for Battle.net BalanceHow Battle.net Balance Works

Battle.net Balance can be used to purchase Blizzard Entertainment games and services.

You can use your Battle.net balance to purchase the following:
Digital versions of Blizzard games including Digital Deluxe editions.

Character services like realm and faction transfer.

World of Warcraft mounts, pets, cosmetic helms from the in-game shop.

Hearthstone card packs and adventures.

Heroes of the Storm Heroes, skins, and mounts.

Blue Posts

Blizzard

Update: The WoW Token will be going live in the Americas region (North America, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand) on April 7 when maintenance concludes, at approximately 10 a.m. PDT. The WoW Token will be available for $20 USD/$25 AUD from the in-game Shop, and will be set at a starting price of 30,000 gold in the Auction House across the Americas region. From that point forward, the gold price will automatically fluctuate based on player supply and demand. To start we’ll be limiting the number of Token purchases to 10 within a 30-day period, but this limit may be adjusted over time. While Tokens will be available immediately from the Shop, please note that there may be a delay before Tokens put up for sale on the Auction House become available for purchase with gold.

We’ll announce additional regional details closer to the launch of the WoW Token in other regions.

Blizzard

Coming soon to an Azeroth near you: the WoW Token, a new in-game item that allows players to simply and securely exchange gold and game time between each other.Players will be able to purchase a WoW Token through the in-game Shop for real money, and then sell it on the Auction House for gold at the current market price. When a player buys a WoW Token from the Auction House for gold, the Token becomes Soulbound, and the player can then redeem it for 30 days of game time.

The WoW Token was created to give players with lots of extra gold the option to use it to help cover their subscription cost, and give those who want to purchase gold a way to do so from fellow players through a secure, easy-to-use system. The Token will be making its debut in an upcoming patch—in the meantime, check out the FAQ below for details on how it works. FAQ
THE BASICS Q: How do I buy a WoW Token for real money?
A: WoW Tokens will be available for purchase for real money through the World of Warcraft in-game Shop. You can access the Shop through the row of feature buttons next to your character’s bags.Q: I need gold! How do I sell a WoW Token to another player?
A: You’ll be able to sell WoW Tokens through a dedicated Token exchange in the Auction House, located in a new Game Time section. WoW Tokens cannot be traded or sold any other way.Q: How much gold will I receive when I sell a WoW Token?
A: The gold value of a Token will be determined dynamically based on supply and demand. When you put a Token up for sale, you’ll be quoted the amount of gold you’ll receive upon a successful sale. If you then decide to place the Token up for sale, that amount is locked in, and the gold will be sent to your mailbox after another player purchases your Token.Q: I need game time! How do I buy a WoW Token from the Auction House?
A: When you visit the Auction House, you’ll be presented with the current market price for a WoW Token in your game region—there’s no bidding involved, and all Tokens in a game region are priced the same at any given moment. If you decide to purchase one, you’ll receive it in your mailbox, and can then immediately redeem it for game time.Q: How much game time do I get by redeeming a WoW Token?
A: You’ll receive 30 days of game time when you redeem a WoW Token.Q: Can I resell a WoW Token after I’ve purchased it for gold?
A: No, each WoW Token can only be sold once. After you purchase a Token for gold, it becomes Soulbound. At that point, it can only be redeemed for game time. THE DETAILS Q: How much will a WoW Token cost on the Shop?
A: Pricing details will be announced at a later date.Q: Why are you introducing the WoW Token feature?
A: We’ve heard feedback from players that they’d be interested in a secure, legitimate way to acquire gold that doesn’t involve the use of unauthorized third-party gold-selling services—one of the primary sources of account compromises. We also know players who’ve amassed large amounts of gold through regular play would be interested in the ability to trade some to other players in exchange for game time, helping cover their subscription costs. The WoW Token feature gives players on both sides of the equation a secure and straightforward way to make that exchange. It opens up a new kind of payment option for World of Warcraft players, and we hope that it will also help lead to fewer account compromises and a better game experience overall.Q: How is acquiring gold by selling a WoW Token different from buying gold from third-party services?
A: Buying gold from third-party services negatively impacts the game experience for everyone. The overwhelming majority of the gold these services provide comes from stolen player accounts, halting the victims’ ability to play the game and contribute to their guilds. On top of this, gold selling companies often farm resources using hack programs, sell fake product codes as a scam, and spam entire realms with ads to buy gold, disrupting the game in very real ways.The WoW Token allows players to exchange real money for gold in a secure and sanctioned way—together with the ongoing efforts of our developers, support staff, and anti-hack teams to stop the exploits these companies use and help players who have become victims of their operations, we hope the Token can help make World of Warcraft a safer and more enjoyable game for all of our players.Q: Why can’t players set their own prices for the WoW Token?
A: The WoW Token feature is designed to facilitate the exchange of gold and game time between players in as secure, convenient, and fair a way as possible, and without making players feel like they’re playing a game with their hard-earned money. Having a set current market price and a straightforward exchange system is the best way to achieve that—you don’t need to worry about whether your Token will sell or not due to being undercut or the market shifting, and everyone receives exactly the amount of gold they were quoted.Q: What happens if the price quoted to me is different from what the Token actually sells for?
A: You will always receive the gold amount quoted to you at the time you place a Token up for sale, regardless of what the current price is when the item actually sells.Q: How long should I expect to receive my gold after putting a Token up for sale? How does the game determine whose Token to sell?
A: The amount of time it takes to receive your gold after putting a Token up for sale depends on a variety of factors, including the current supply and demand. When you list a Token, you’ll be quoted an estimated time based on the current Token supply and the rate of recent transactions, but the actual amount of time it takes to sell is likely to vary (note that Tokens do not expire). In most cases, Tokens are sold in the order in which they were put up for sale; however, there are some exceptions to this, such as when a Token purchase is undergoing verification.Q: If I buy a WoW Token from the Auction House, how long does it take to receive the Token?
A: Just like a standard Auction House purchase, it will normally arrive in your mailbox nearly instantaneously.Q: If I’m buying a WoW Token for real money from the in-game Shop, how long does it take to receive it?
A: Once you successfully complete a purchase, your Token should arrive in your inventory (or mailbox, if your inventory is full) almost immediately.Q: Do Tokens expire? What happens if I accidentally delete one?
A: No, Tokens do not expire. They also can’t be deleted, so no need to fear accidentally trashing them.Q: Can I stop my auction or receive a refund after it was purchased (for gold or real money)?
A: All transactions are considered final and auctions cannot be cancelled, so make sure you’re certain you want to proceed before listing or buying a Token. To help prevent unintentional transactions, you will be prompted to confirm your purchase or sale before it’s finalized.Q: Is there a deposit? Does the Auction House take a cut of the Token seller’s gold?
A: There’s no deposit, and the Auction House does not take a cut of the gold for WoW Token sales. The standard deposit is designed to dissuade players from spamming the auction house with items that aren’t selling, and the standard cut is designed to dissuade players from buying and reselling items for minuscule markups. These issues don’t apply to the WoW Token, so there’s no need for a deposit or cut.Q: Will each game region have its own WoW Token exchange? Will everyone in a game region have access to it?
A: Each game region—Americas (including ANZ realms), Europe, Taiwan, Korea, and China—will have its own shared WoW Token exchange. We’ll share additional details at a later date.

The recently announced WoW Token is currently in testing on the PTR, and is slated for launch some time after the March 24 release of Patch 6.1.2. In the meantime, we wanted to share some additional details about the Token, including regional pricing information and more on our global rollout plans. WoW Token Rollout
We’ll begin rolling out the WoW Token in the weeks following Patch 6.1.2’s release, starting with the Americas game region (including realms serving North America, Oceania, and Latin America) and then expanding to other game regions in the weeks after that. Launching the Token once Patch 6.1.2 has been live for a while will help us ensure the foundation for the feature is solid, and kicking things off with a single region is the best way for us to ensure everything’s going smoothly before launching worldwide. We’ll provide further updates on timing as we get closer to the Token’s launch in each region. Region-wide Exchange
As discussed in our original announcement , each game region (Americas, Europe, Korea, Taiwan, and China) will have its own shared WoW Token exchange. When the rollout begins in the Americas game region, players in North America, Latin America, and Oceania will all be able to purchase a WoW Token from the in-game Shop. In the Americas game region, the price of a Token will be $20 USD (or roughly equivalent in each local currency). We’ll share additional regional pricing details as we get closer to launch. Once purchased, a Token can then be put up for sale in a region-wide exchange via a new Game Time tab in the Auction House. (Note that while you’ll see the new Game Time tab in that auction house with the launch of Patch 6.1.2, it won’t be active until the WoW Token launches in your region.) While the rest of the Auction House will remain realm-based, a region-wide WoW Token exchange will provide the largest possible pool of prospective buyers and ensures everyone has access to a vibrant, active Token marketplace. In the Americas, Europe, Korea, and Taiwan, players who purchase a WoW Token from the Auction House will be able to redeem it for 30 days of game time. Going for Gold
Because the Token exchange has to start somewhere, we will be setting the initial gold value of the WoW Token ourselves. The starting gold value in each region will be based on several factors, including regional in-game economies, but ultimately our goal is to select a fair and reasonable starting price. After that, the Token’s gold value will be determined dynamically based primarily on player supply and demand. Simply put, if more WoW Tokens are being listed than are being purchased, the price will automatically drift downward over time. If people are purchasing Tokens from the Auction House faster than they’re being put up for sale, then prices will go up accordingly. As a reminder, to help make sure players can trade WoW Tokens confidently, once a Token sells, the seller will receive the amount of gold they were quoted at the time they listed their Token. We know a lot of you are excited to exchange a WoW Token or two, and we’re looking forward to making the feature available in the near future. We’ll provide additional updates on the rollout of the WoW Token feature soon.

Comments

Comment by 1272076

i have a question here
what if i have 40k gold in my mail and 7k in my bag would that be still counted 47k ?
or just 7k because im not take the gold from mail yet ? (sorry for my bad english)

Comment by MattheratGaming

Can you buy a token with a WoW game time gift card?

Comment by Keasha

So, assume I have an unsubbed account. I have two characters, both on the same server and faction. Both have not enought gold to buy a token but together it's enough to buy a token. Since I have no active account, I can't log in and collect the money on one character.

Is the system smart enough to realize I have enough gold for a token? Would be shame if not.

Comment by Starryskys

So if you have an old account you'd like to activate it isn't possible to mail over gold to try to purchase a token on the old account?

Comment by TheCrux

I've got an active account and want to switch to the token system. Do I have to quit my paying method first or will the WoW-Token just put the gametime in between?

Comment by Rj0lnir

I am wondering if I have to use all wowtokens I bought from AH for gold together. Maybe I want to activate one and play for 30 days and then give a break for a couple months and re-activate my account with another token I bought. Is it possible or do I have to buy a token whenever I want to re-activate my account?

Comment by Tcip

Here are some websites that I use to keep track of the price and for viewing historical price.

WoW Token Info
wowtoken.info

WoW Token Price and History Tracking
http://wowtokenprices.com

WoW Token (Current price)
http://token.wow.playwarcraft.net

@WoWTokens (Twitter)
http://twitter.com/WoWTokens

Comment by Yewfire

I have purchased a couple of tokens from the AH and I currently have them in my bank "for a rainy day". If I take a break from WoW for a while and allow my subscription to lapse, can I use those tokens from the login screen to re-activate my account?

I understand that I can use character gold to buy a token from the login screen if the sub has lapsed. What I want to know for sure is: Can I use a token that is already in my bags or bank instead?

Comment by Yewfire

@Yewfire

... can I use those tokens from the login screen to re-activate my account?

I found the answer from Blizzard here:

"Note: If you've run out of game time and you have a Token in the inventory of an inaccessible character, you'll be able to consume that Token from the character select screen to refresh your game time."

So the answer is YES!

Update: I let my subscription lapse so that I could test this today (5/10/15). I can verify that it works. I submitted a screenshot of the confirmation box to the WoW Token page, but they did not accept it :( .

Comment by Alcest

Hey I'd like to contribute with a few screenshots and information on how you can redeem a token while your sub is expired:

1. You can use a token while on the character selection screen on an inactive account. Simply log into your account and a popup will appear on any level 21 or higher character asking if you'd like to use your token (see screenshot below). This is contrary to popular belief prior to recently that you can only do #2 below, unless the token was on a level 20 or below character (for this reason, I bought all my tokens on a level 1, just to be safe)

2. You can use a token directly from your bags in-game, but you most likely knew this already.

3a. If you don't have a token, you can buy one from the character selection screen.
3b. If you don't have the gold on the account you want to buy for or got a friend to lend/give you enough gold for a token, simply make a ticket (on battle.net) from the account and state that you are trying to transfer gold to buy a token. If you want a quicker response or if the Ticket GM doesn't help you, choose Phone Support instead of making a GM ticket (you go through the same process, but click the phone button instead of the ticket one). They will give you 24 hours of game time so you can transfer gold.

Screenshot when looking at a character Level 21+ (#1): http://i.imgur.com/biAbVey.jpg?1

Screenshot when you click "Reactivate Now" or try to login to a Level 21+: http://i.imgur.com/GBnMn6f.jpg?1

Comment by huldu

When exactly does the "new" month begin if you're buying tokens since you can only buy 10 a month? I would assume it would be the launch date/day but that could be wrong. I think they launched the 7th April which means that the "new" month would be 7th June, is that correct? I'd love a response so I may plan a bit better!

Comment by toquenuke

Random question, the prices were very volatile until about a month ago. The range was as much as 6k between high and low. Now the prices only vary about 1k. Any ideas why?

Comment by Clattuc

I do not think there is a magic day of the month when your token limit resets. Based on some experimentation, I think they look at the last 30 days, and if there are 10 token purchases from your account in those 30 days, you can't buy another one. Wait until the earliest of those 10 has "aged out," and you can buy another one. I am open to other experimental results however.

Comment by 1551823

The WOW token now means that in game gold has actual worth in U.S. dollars, so when will the government step in and start regulating this market? Even if I choose not to buy tokens to pay for my game time, Blizzard still makes actual money every single time the auction house takes its 15% cut of every sale I make. On top of that, gear repairs have actual monetary weight now, aside from just a few pieces of inanimate in game fake gold. Is it just a matter of time before guilds are rated by net worth? Soon, guilds will start charging money for players to join or, in the least, charge for guild repairs or stop offering them at all. What's to keep people from demanding to be able to exchange in game gold for actual dollars, tangible products and real services? Wow gold is the new bitcoin. Well done.

Comment by 843621

Q: Why is my wow token gray / grey, and why can't I post my wow token in the auction house?

A: Well the wow token icon is all gray to begin with, so don't worry, it's not bugged.

If you are using auction house addons like auctioneer and auctionator, their sell feature does not let the wow token get posted on the auction house. To fix this and post your wow token on the auction house:

Turn off all your auction house addons

(you can save your setup if you use a really handy addon which you should get called "Addon Control Panel")

and reload your UI.

Using World of Warcrafts's default auction interface you should have no problem posting a wow token.

Comment by essmene

It should be noted that tokens are a special item and can only reside in your backpack.

You cannot put them into you bank. Thus I recommend buying those tokens on a character that does not need said space.

Comment by Pandsay

DONT BUY THEM OFF ON THE EU REALMS!

80K for 1 month is not worth it!

Comment by ggregt

Looks like maximum Battle.Net balance is at or near $345 currently. I bought a ton of Wow Tokens (thank you garrison cash machine!), and at $345 got the can't-add-more message. Nice problem to have I suppose.

Comment by 1768353

Can I buy a token to use for my Battle.net balance if i have an inactive account? Or do i need to activate my account first then buy more in the AH.

Comment by GearAdam

Hey pals. I want to ask that can I buy token if the price is 300k gold and I have that gold but split between characters?

Comment by Gothy

Is it possible to sell a token via the Armory app/mobile AH?

Comment by 1856944

get this addon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFI8-h8vC9s&t=2s and the gold will roll in trust me.

Comment by 1873344

Nice guide. very helpful.

Comment by Nillanu

Curious: I have enough gold to purchase a token, but how do I know how much gold I will have left? I'd like to know how much gold I have total before I use it to buy a token. Especially since they're upwards $200k! :O

ty!

Comment by 1909253

i know i'm too late to ask this thing, i'm new to this game,
i really want to try to play this game, but since i live in a third world country, buying subscription with real cash is a real struggle,
i'm planning to acquire subscription or game time through purely using in game gold,
is it still possible to grind gold through in game missions and such to cover my game time?
i heard it's still possible but wow token prices have risen up uncontrollably,

sorry for my terrible english btw.

Guide to Obtaining and Selling the WoW Token

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