Valve to stop restocking physical Steam gift cards by end of 2026

Valve announced it will not restock physical Steam gift cards once retailers run out of stock in 2026, a decision the company says was driven solely by their use in scams. The Steam Support FAQ was updated on June 9 to note that physical gift cards were introduced in 2012 and a digital program added in 2017.

Valve said scammers use gift cards from major brands like Steam to take advantage of people worldwide, and it expects cards at retailers to be out of stock by the end of 2026. The company plans to expand its digital gift card service to provide an even better experience.

Physical Steam gift cards sold in 2026 can still be used whenever you choose, subject to local laws.

Steam gift cards have a long history in online scams. A 2023 Kotaku investigation described how they are often used in romance scams because they are hard to trace and can be converted into cash by selling the codes through third parties such as eBay or PC key sites.

valve, steam, gift cards, physical cards, digital cards, scams, romance scams, retailers, 2026, ebay