A December 2025 change in the Steam Community Market made very cheap listings noticeably less attractive for the Chinese-currency account shown in my screenshots. An item that had previously appeared at a few local-currency cents now needed a higher displayed price.
The example shows a buyer price of ¥0.21 but only ¥0.07 reaching the seller. Minimum transaction fees and currency rounding can take a large share of a tiny sale, even when percentage fees look modest. The exact preview in your own account is more useful than applying a single percentage to every listing.
For U.S. users, the familiar three-cent item is a useful comparison, but the screenshot does not establish that every currency has the same nominal minimum or that all fees are internally calculated in dollars. Valve’s Community Market FAQ explains that the market indicates when a listing fails its minimum price requirements.
The practical effect is strongest for cheap skins and trading cards: listing at the minimum does not guarantee a buyer, and raising the price does not make the item more desirable. Check existing buy orders and the “you receive” amount before selling. Weekly drops can be useful extras, but their sale value is not a dependable return on playing time.
Adapted from the original Chinese article, published on December 6, 2025.
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