Garena Shells cannot be directly converted to Riot Points — the two currencies exist on completely separate platforms with no exchange mechanism between them. If you played League of Legends on Garena servers in Southeast Asia or Taiwan and want to understand what happened to your Shells balance, or if you are simply trying to buy Riot Points today, this guide explains everything clearly.
What you need to know up front
Garena operated League of Legends in several Southeast Asian countries and Taiwan under a licensing agreement with Riot Games. Players on Garena servers used Garena Shells — not Riot Points — to purchase champions and skins inside that platform. When Riot and Garena ended their partnership, Riot took over hosting those servers directly and transitioned players to Riot accounts. During that migration, Shells balances were not converted to RP. Here is a section-by-section breakdown of everything relevant.
1. What Are Garena Shells?
Garena Shells are a premium currency exclusive to the Garena gaming platform. On Garena's version of League of Legends, Shells served the same role that Riot Points serve on Riot's own servers: you spent them on new champions, champion skins, chromas, and other cosmetic content in the Garena in-game store. Shells were purchased through Garena's own top-up system — not through Riot Games — and they could never leave the Garena ecosystem.
2. There Is No Conversion — and No Workaround
The most important thing to understand is that no official conversion tool, exchange rate, or in-game mechanic exists to turn Garena Shells into Riot Points. Riot Games and Garena operated under separate business entities with separate payment systems. Even during the migration period, Riot did not absorb or credit Shells balances in any form. Any website, YouTube video, or Discord offer claiming to convert your Shells to RP for a fee is a scam — do not share your account credentials or payment details with such services.
3. The Garena-to-Riot Migration Explained
Around 2022–2024, Riot Games ended its third-party licensing agreements across the Southeast Asian region, meaning Garena gradually handed control of League of Legends back to Riot. The key points of what transferred — and what did not — are:
- What carried over: Your ranked history, champion collection, owned skins, and account level were migrated to a new Riot account.
- What did not carry over: Your unspent Garena Shells balance. Riot had no obligation to honor a third-party currency, so those Shells remained (and eventually became worthless once Garena shut down LoL in the affected regions).
- Going forward: Former Garena players now log in through the standard Riot client and purchase Riot Points directly from Riot.
Migration timelines and exact cut-off dates varied by country. Players who still have questions about their specific region should consult the official Riot Games support portal.
4. How to Buy Riot Points on Riot Servers
If you are now playing on Riot's servers and want to make purchases, you buy Riot Points directly through the League of Legends client or the official store. Here is how:
- Open the League of Legends client and log in to your Riot account.
- Click the store icon in the top-right corner of the client.
- Go to the Riot Points tab (sometimes labeled "Purchase RP" or shown as a "+" button next to your RP balance).
- Choose a bundle — common tiers range from roughly 650 RP (around $5 USD equivalent) up to 7,200 RP or more.
- Select your payment method (credit/debit card, PayPal, prepaid gift card, or regional options) and confirm the purchase.
- Your RP is credited instantly and appears in the client ready to spend.
Prices are shown in your local currency and vary by region. Bundle sizes and exact pricing are subject to change, so always check the in-client store for the latest figures.
5. Making the Most of Your Riot Points
Once you have Riot Points in your account, here is what you can spend them on in League of Legends:
- Champion skins — the most popular use, starting from 390 RP for basic tiers up to 3,250 RP or more for Legendary and Ultimate skins.
- Champions — if you prefer to skip the free Blue Essence grind, most champions cost 975 RP.
- Chroma packs — colour variants for skins, usually around 290 RP each.
- Emotes and icons — smaller purchases typically ranging from 350 RP upward.
- Battle Pass / Event passes — seasonal passes unlocking exclusive cosmetics and missions.
Watch for in-client sales during seasonal events, when skins can drop by up to 50%. You can also gift RP purchases directly to friends on the same Riot server region.
Tips for former Garena players
- Check your migrated inventory first. Log in to your Riot account and visit the collection tab — many players are pleasantly surprised to find their owned skins and champions already there.
- Do not rebuy what you already own. Cosmetics owned before migration typically carry over, so verify your full collection before purchasing anything.
- Look for new-player promotions. Riot occasionally offers welcome bundles or event packs that give good value for a first RP purchase.
- Use gift cards for budgeting. Riot Games gift cards are available at many retail stores and let you top up without a credit card — useful if you prefer to control spending.
Frequently asked questions
Can I exchange my Garena Shells for Riot Points?
No. Garena Shells and Riot Points are entirely separate currencies on separate platforms. There is no official exchange mechanism, and Riot did not absorb Shells balances during the migration. Shells that were not spent before Garena shut down League of Legends in the affected regions were lost.
Is there a conversion rate between Shells and RP?
No official conversion rate exists because the two currencies were never designed to be interchangeable. Any "rate" quoted by third-party sites is unofficial and likely part of a scam.
What happened to my Garena Shells when the servers migrated to Riot?
Garena Shells balances were not transferred. Riot only migrated account progress such as owned champions, skins, rank history, and level. Shells remained with Garena and effectively became worthless once Garena ended League of Legends service in the relevant regions.
How do I buy RP if I used to play on Garena?
Log in to your migrated Riot account via the standard League of Legends client, open the in-game store, and navigate to the Riot Points purchase tab. You can pay by card, PayPal, prepaid gift card, or regional payment methods depending on your country.
Are there safe ways to get free Riot Points?
Riot occasionally gives small RP amounts through promotional events, Twitch Drops, and Prime Gaming rewards. These are legitimate but limited. Any site claiming to generate free RP in exchange for personal information or account access is a scam.
The bottom line
Converting Garena Shells to Riot Points is simply not possible — they are independent currencies that existed on independent platforms and were never designed to be exchanged. If you were a Garena player who has since migrated to Riot servers, your champion and skin collection should have carried over even though your Shells did not. From here, Riot Points work exactly like Shells did: purchase a bundle in the in-client store, choose what you want, and your content is unlocked immediately.
