Trade hubs
Trade Hubs are centers of trading in a region of space, usually found in a solar system with many gates that serve as a main pass-through center. Volumes of goods traded in trade hub systems far exceed goods traded in other systems in the region, marked by high availability of goods in one place. The volume of goods increase customers to the system, attracting more sellers, increasing volume, and stabilizing prices. In busy regions such as The Forge, a large fraction of trade takes place at the hub, such as Jita.
The convenience of "one-stop shopping" is such that buyers are usually willing to pay a slight premium just to get the items at the hub rather than elsewhere in the region (this can usually be seen by examining the sell orders of an item). However, in low-population regions where the hubs are not as developed, there may be no premiums charged on goods and often the range must be increased on buy orders in order to reach more sellers.
Trade hubs are created in certain locations for a number of reasons, including location (choke points, proximity to mission hubs or different regions) and available facilities (research facilities, manufacturing lines etc). These factors cause players to use particular stations and systems over others, and once a station is known as a trade hub then players are more likely to use it, cementing its status.
Major Trade Hubs
Jita - The Forge - Caldari Space
- Population: 33,501 [1]
- Total market offers value: 119.4 trillion ISK
- Location: Jita IV - Moon 4 - Caldari Navy Assembly Plant
Jita is the center of trade in New Eden and is by far the largest hub in game, often having over 1000 players in system with consistent traffic in and out. Trading in Jita is extremely competitive due to the high level of activity. This often results in fairly low profit margins, and is harder for players with low ISK to succeed in due to the richer able to shrug off the low margins by trading in volume. However, players new to trading will be able to turn over smaller orders more quickly, and therefore learn what to do/what not to do sooner. Be mindful of low volumes as well, since if you do find products with decent profit margins (say above 20%), these items flow a lot slower than those with narrower margins.
Amarr - Domain - Amarr Space
- Population: 7,856 [1]
- Total market offers value: 693.3 billion ISK
- Location: Amarr VIII (Oris) - Emperor Family Academy
Rens - Heimatar - Minmatar Space
- Population: 7,856 [1]
- Total market offers value: 137.9 billion ISK
- Location: Rens VI - Moon 8 - Brutor Tribe Treasury
Dodixie - Sinq Laison - Gallente Space
- Population: 5,865 [1]
- Total market offers value: 91.4 billion ISK
- Location: Dodixie IX - Moon 20 - Federation Navy Assembly Plant
Empire Space
Major trade hubs in bold, other notables in italics.
Amarr Empire
Aridia
- Defsunun IX - Moon 18 - Kaalakiota Corporation Factory
The Bleak Lands
- Tuomuta III - Ducia Foundry Mining Outpost
Devoid
- Esescama VIII - Moon 3 - Imperial Armaments Warehouse
Domain
- Amarr - Amarr VIII (Oris) - Emperor Family Academy
Kador
- Dresi I - Moon 18 - Emperor Family Bureau
Kor-Azor
- Ordion VII - Moon 16 - Amarr Navy Testing Facilities
- Zinkon VII - Moon 1 - Caldari Business Tribunal Accounting
Tash-Murkon
- Tash-Murkon Prime II - Moon 1 - Kaalakiota Corporation Factory
Ammatar Mandate
Derelik
- Berta VI - Moon 19 - Ammatar Consulate Bureau
Caldari State
Black Rise
- Ichoriya V - Caldari Navy Logistic Support
The Citadel
- Motsu VII - Moon 6 - Caldari Navy Logistic Support
The Forge
- Jita - Jita IV - Moon 4 - Caldari Navy Assembly Plant
Lonetrek
- Nourvukaiken V - State Protectorate Logistic Support
- Sobaseki VII - Caldari Navy Logistic Support
- Bordering Jita - The Forge
- Torrinos V - Moon 16 - Home Guard Logistic Support
- Bordering EC-P8R - Pure Blind
Gallente Federation
Essence
- Oursulaert - Oursulaert III - Federation Navy Testing Facilities
- Arnon IX - Moon 3 - Sisters of EVE Bureau
- Home of The Blood-Stained Stars (Sisters of EVE Epic Arc)
Everyshore
- Halle VII - Moon 6 - Federal Intelligence Office Assembly Plant
Placid
- Orvolle I - Federation Navy Assembly Plant
- Stacmon V - Moon 9 - Federation Navy Assembly Plant
Sinq Laison
- Dodixie - Dodixie IX - Moon 20 - Federation Navy Assembly Plant
Solitude
- Boystin - Boystin V - Moon 6 - Federal Intelligence Office Assembly Plant
- Headquarters of Project Solitude
Verge Vendor
- Clellinon VI - Moon 11 - Center for Advanced Studies School
- Sortet V - Moon 1 - Federation Navy Assembly Plant
Genesis
- Apanake VIII - Moon 8 - Sisters of EVE Bureau
Khanid Kingdom
Khanid
- Agil VI - Moon 2 - CONCORD Logistic Support
Minmatar Republic
Heimatar
- Rens - Rens VI - Moon 8 - Brutor Tribe Treasury
- Lustrevik VII - Moon 9 - Brutor Tribe Academy
- Popular mission hub
- Pator VII (Kulheim) - Republic Security Services Assembly Plant
- Second closest trade hub to Aldrat (5 jumps away)
Metropolis
- Hek - Hek VIII - Moon 12 - Boundless Creation Factory
- Closest trade hub to EVE University's home in Aldrat. On the way from Aldrat to Hek you will pass through Eystur (part of the Heimatar Region), which lets you check prices in Rens to see if you can get a better deal there
Molden Heath
- Teonusude III - Moon 1 - Republic Fleet Assembly Plant
NPC Nullsec
Claimable Nullsec
There are huge trade hubs in Nullsec, but almost all stations are owned by alliances and are restricted to members of that alliance and their allies.
A notable exception is the Scalding Pass region, which contains freeports [2] (everyone is allowed to dock; there are no docking fees; and all services may be used). The owner of most of these stations is The Gorgon Empire (-GE-) alliance.
Scalding Pass
- 4-CM8I VI - 4-C0EL0M8 4 LYFE
- A growing trade hub of the alliance Phoebe Freeport Republic (PFR)
