Steam Trading Term
P2P Trading
Definition
Peer-to-peer (P2P) trading is a direct item-for-payment exchange between two Steam users, usually settled through PayPal Friends & Family, crypto, or gift cards — outside of any marketplace.
Why P2P exists
Marketplaces charge 3–15% fees. P2P trims that to ~0% if both parties trust each other.
The risks
- PayPal Friends & Family is irreversible — but PayPal Goods & Services can be reversed by the buyer.
- Fake screenshots of payment.
- Account-theft scams ("Steam Support is calling you").
- Trade-hold abuse (cancel the trade after receiving payment).
When to prefer SteamVaults
For the supported Sack of Gems, the bid/ask target is US$0.01 per item and the executable amount is shown before confirmation. SteamVaults eliminates the trust dependency.