Coins, cred, energy and trophies: the economy explained

Coins are your wallet. You earn them three ways: by winning Squad Clashes, by scoring points as the Game Oracle (every prediction point also mints coins), and from your idle stadium, which trickles coins over time for you to collect. You spend them on player cards in the Squad Store and on energy refills for a tired squad.

The important part: coins are virtual and non-cash. They never convert to real money, can't be withdrawn, and can't be bought. They exist purely to pace the game — to make a Legendary card feel earned and an energy refill a real decision. Because both the prediction game and the clash game pay coins, the two halves of PlayYourCup feed each other: predicting well funds a better squad, and a better squad wins more coins.

Cred is a credibility score from zero to nine hundred and ninety-nine that reflects how good a predictor you actually are. It's recomputed when matches settle, from a blend of your accuracy and your volume — so it rewards being right often, not just playing a lot. A high cred is a badge that says your calls are worth listening to.

Unlike coins, cred isn't spent on anything; it's a measure, not a currency. Think of it as your standing in the Game Oracle community. Predict carefully, lean on the confidence picker rather than guessing, and your cred climbs steadily.

Energy is per-card, shown with a lightning bolt, and it governs how often you can clash. Every Squad Clash drains the energy of the eleven who played, and your team must average above sixty per cent to take the field. A rested squad is usually good for two or three clashes before it needs a break.

You recover energy three ways: time (about six per cent per hour, automatically), rotation (swap a tired starter for a fresh card), or a coins refill that instantly tops the whole eleven back to full. Energy is intentionally the one thing you can't grind around for free — it's what turns squad depth into a real advantage and stops the mode from becoming a tap-to-win loop.

Trophies are won from Squad Clashes and are the ranking currency of the Squad League — the fantasy leaderboard that sits alongside, but completely separate from, the Game Oracle prediction board. Beating stronger opponents earns more trophies than seeing off weaker ones, and your win-rate breaks ties, so the table rewards ambition and consistency together.

Trophies aren't spent either; like cred, they're a measure of achievement. Between the Game Oracle board for predicting and the Squad League for clashing, there's a ladder for whichever side of the game you enjoy most — and bragging rights are the only thing on the line, which is exactly how a no-stakes game should work.