Quick answer
Ermal Vouchers are a new currency arriving with the 5th Expedition in ARC Raiders. When Expeditions pause after this window, every player's Caravan gets reset — and any partially completed Caravan is automatically converted into Ermal Vouchers of equal value. You can spend those vouchers at the Ermal (Nomadic Envoys) trader toward his offers alongside ARC Parts and firearm trades, or simply sell them for Coin. The 5th Expedition window opens September 8 and closes September 29, 2026, and it's the last Expedition until early 2027 — so what you do with your Caravan before it resets matters.
The fifth Expedition is a genuine turning point. Embark is pausing the whole Expedition system for months to rework it, and the studio confirmed that leftover Caravan progress won't just vanish — it becomes vouchers you can cash in. This guide breaks down exactly what Ermal Vouchers are, how you earn them, what you can spend them on, and whether you should hold them for Ermal's offers or dump them for Coin. We'll also cover who Ermal actually is and what the Nomadic Envoys want, because your vouchers are only as good as the trades you make with them.
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What are Ermal Vouchers in ARC Raiders?
Ermal Vouchers are a conversion currency tied directly to the 5th Expedition's Caravan reset. Here's the situation Embark laid out in the official announcement:
"Since Caravans will be reset, any partially completed Caravans will be replaced with Ermal Vouchers of equal value which can be used to purchase Ermal offers together with ARC Parts and firearms trade, or sold for Coin." — The 5th Expedition, ARC Raiders official news
In plain terms: the Caravan is the progression track you fill up between Expedition windows. Because Expeditions are being paused after the fifth one, the Caravan system is being wiped clean. Rather than let all your half-finished Caravan contributions evaporate, the game measures what you'd invested and hands it back as vouchers of equal value. Those vouchers then plug into Ermal's barter economy.
Two things make this notable:
- It's automatic. You don't have to claim or convert anything manually — partially completed Caravans become vouchers when the reset happens.
- It's tied to this specific reset. Ermal Vouchers exist because of the 5th Expedition Caravan reset. Embark hasn't spelled out whether they stick around long-term, so it's worth understanding them now — before the September 8 window — and going in with a plan for them.
How do you get Ermal Vouchers?
You get Ermal Vouchers by having a partially completed Caravan when the 5th Expedition ends and Expeditions go on pause. The value of your leftover Caravan progress is what determines how many vouchers you receive — the conversion is "of equal value" per Embark.
That creates a clear decision point around the Caravan:
- Complete the Caravan and depart during the window if you can. Finishing your Expedition unlocks the full rewards track (see below) — that's almost always better than converting to vouchers.
- If you can't finish, your remaining progress isn't lost. Whatever you'd sunk into the Caravan comes back as Ermal Vouchers after the reset.
Note the timing nuance from the official post: completing your Caravan does not count as signing up for the Expedition. You still have to sign up during the window, and this time there is no "last call" feature — miss the departure window and you miss the Expedition. So if your goal is the reward track rather than vouchers, don't sleep on signing up.
The 5th Expedition timeline
| Milestone | Date / detail |
|---|---|
| Expedition window opens | September 8, 2026 — 1pm CEST / 11am UTC / 4am PT |
| Expedition window closes | September 29, 2026 — 10am CEST / 8am UTC / 1am PT |
| Window length | 3 weeks (extended from the usual two) |
| "Last call" feature | Removed — sign up during the window or miss out |
| Current Trials season ends | September 22 |
| Trials pause until | October 8 |
| Next Expedition after this | Not until early 2027 |
What can you spend Ermal Vouchers on?
Per the official wording, Ermal Vouchers give you two options:
- Spend them on Ermal offers — put vouchers toward the Nomadic Envoys' rotating rewards, used together with ARC Parts and firearm trade-ins. Vouchers are an extra currency you stack into an Ermal barter alongside the parts and guns he already asks for — not a standalone shop of their own.
- Sell them for Coin — if none of Ermal's current offers appeal to you, liquidate vouchers straight into Coin, the game's standard currency.
Embark has said more details on the reworked systems are coming in September, so exact voucher-to-offer exchange values may be clarified closer to the window. What's confirmed today is the two-way choice: spend vouchers on an Ermal offer (alongside the ARC Parts and firearm trade-ins he asks for), or cash them out for Coin.
Who is Ermal, and what does the Nomadic Envoys trader want?
Ermal is the trader behind the Nomadic Envoys, a caravan of curiously dressed merchants who set up a market stall on the lobby floor of Speranza. Ermal deals in a barter economy rather than straight cash — he wants your gear and specific Topside materials, and in return offers unique rewards you can't easily get elsewhere. For hoarders, he's also a way to offload surplus gear and free up Stash space.
A few rules that matter before you plan your voucher spending:
- Level 25 required. Raiders need to reach Level 25 to barter ARC materials with Ermal.
- He mostly wants unique ARC materials, but will sometimes accept guns. On a high-tier trade, only Rare-rarity weapons are accepted; on a low-tier trade, all weapons are accepted.
- Weapon mods are not accepted and are stripped from any weapon you trade in — pull your attachments first.
- Offers rotate, often changing week to week, and he'll occasionally ask for trinkets or oddly specific items.
What ARC materials Ermal accepts
| Tier | Example materials Ermal barters for |
|---|---|
| Low-tier ARC materials | Fireball Burner, Pop Trigger, Snitch Scanner, Spotter Relay, Tick Pod, Comet Igniter, Firefly Burner, Hornet Driver, Sentinel Firing Core, Shredder Gyro, Surveyor Vault |
| High-tier ARC materials | Assessor Matrix, Bastion Cell, Bombardier Cell, Leaper Pulse Unit, Rocketeer Driver, Turbine Compressor, Vaporizer Regulator, Matriarch Reactor |
High-tier ARC materials come from the big machines — reactors, turbines, and boss-tier ARC drops — so the best Ermal offers demand serious farming. Community feedback has flagged that some barters are steep (players report needing large stacks of epic ARC parts to move only a handful of premium items), which is exactly why a stack of Ermal Vouchers ahead of the reset can soften the grind.
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Should you spend Ermal Vouchers or sell them for Coin?
Here's a simple decision framework:
- Spend on an Ermal offer if the current rotation has a reward you actually want — a cosmetic, a hard-to-farm blueprint, or a high-tier ARC part you'd otherwise grind for hours. Vouchers stack with your ARC Parts and firearm trades, so they can push you over the line on an offer you're just short of.
- Sell for Coin if the rotation is weak that week, or if you'd rather keep your buying power liquid. Coin gives you more flexible buying power, while vouchers are tied to Ermal.
- Prioritize completing the Caravan first. Vouchers are a consolation for partial progress. If you can finish the Caravan and depart, do that — the reward track (below) is worth more than the equivalent vouchers.
Because this is the last Expedition until 2027, there's no "next window" to save partial progress for. That makes the spend-or-sell call more final than usual: whatever you don't convert into a reward or Coin is buying power you're leaving on the table.
What are the 5th Expedition rewards?
If you're weighing vouchers against finishing the Expedition, here's what completing it delivers:
- The complete Zenith Outfit — fully unlocked if you've done all five Expeditions.
- +12 stash space, maxed out at 60.
- Mystery Rewards (carried over from the fourth Expedition's reward pool).
- Skill points — the bonus skill points from Expeditions cap at 15, with catch-up available for previously missed points (max 5 per Expedition, tied to stash value).
- Consecutive buffs — your XP boost, Scrappy materials boost, and repair-value increase, each capped at three levels, and these persist through the pause so nothing is lost.
That reward stack is why the guidance is: finish and depart if you can, and treat Ermal Vouchers as the safety net for whatever Caravan progress you couldn't complete in time.
Get Expedition-ready before September 8
Completing your Caravan before it resets — and stockpiling the ARC parts Ermal's offers demand — is what separates a strong Expedition finish from scraps. (Your voucher balance is set by how much value you'd put into a partially completed Caravan, so contributing to the Caravan is what matters, not hoarding parts on the side.) If you'd rather skip the grind and show up loaded for the window:
Gear up for the 5th Expedition and Ermal's best offers with fast, secure delivery from timesaver.gg:
- ARC Raiders Materials — from $0.02 — stock every ARC part rarity Ermal barters for, instant delivery.
- ARC Raiders Blueprints — from $0.99 — 80+ blueprints to unlock rare weapons without the barter grind.
- All ARC Raiders services — carries, leveling to reach Level 25 for Ermal, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Ermal Vouchers in ARC Raiders? Ermal Vouchers are a currency introduced with the 5th Expedition. When Expeditions pause after the September window, every Caravan is reset, and any partially completed Caravan is automatically replaced with Ermal Vouchers of equal value. You can spend them on Ermal's offers alongside ARC Parts and firearm trade-ins, or sell them for Coin.
How do I get Ermal Vouchers? You receive them automatically if you have a partially completed Caravan when the 5th Expedition ends and Expeditions go on pause. The amount is based on the value of your leftover Caravan progress. If you fully complete and depart your Expedition instead, you get the reward track rather than vouchers.
Should I spend Ermal Vouchers or sell them for Coin? Spend them on an Ermal offer if the current rotation has something you want, since vouchers stack with your ARC Parts and firearm trades. Sell them for Coin if the offers are weak that week or you'd rather keep flexible buying power. Coin is more broadly useful, while vouchers only work with Ermal.
When does the 5th Expedition start and end? The window opens September 8, 2026 (1pm CEST / 11am UTC / 4am PT) and closes September 29, 2026 (10am CEST / 8am UTC / 1am PT). There is no "last call" this time, so you must sign up during the window. It's the last Expedition until early 2027.
Who is Ermal in ARC Raiders? Ermal is the trader of the Nomadic Envoys, a caravan that set up a stall in Speranza. He barters unique rewards for ARC materials and gear rather than Coin. You need to reach Level 25 to trade ARC materials with him, and his offers rotate weekly.
Do Ermal Vouchers expire? Embark hasn't confirmed a specific expiry, and more details on the reworked systems are coming in September. Since vouchers are tied to Ermal's rotating offers and the Expedition pause, plan to use or convert them rather than sitting on them indefinitely.
