Sell a Steam gift card: regions, codes and what to check

Steam cards are easy to buy and surprisingly easy to get wrong when you sell them. The value is tied to a currency, the code can be added to a Steam Wallet with two clicks, and Steam-themed scams are among the most common on chat apps and gaming forums. Here is what to check before you sell one.

Steam Wallet codes vs Steam gift cards

People use "Steam gift card" to mean two different things, and only one of them can be sold:

• Steam Wallet codes — the physical cards sold in shops, or digital codes from retailers. They carry a fixed value and are redeemed by entering the code on Steam. These are what you sell.
• Digital gift cards sent through Steam to a friend's account. These are delivered straight into the recipient's account; there is no code to hand over, so there is nothing to sell.

A Wallet code is usually 15 characters of letters and numbers, often printed in groups of five. On a physical card it sits under a scratch strip on the back. On a digital purchase it is shown on the retailer's order page or in the confirmation e-mail.

Regions and currencies: the detail that decides the rate

A Steam Wallet code carries a currency — US dollars, euros, pounds, rupees, lira and many others. When it is redeemed, Steam adds that value to the wallet, converting it if the account uses a different currency. Some currencies and regions have restrictions on which accounts can redeem them.

For selling, that means two things:

1. Pick the country and currency printed on the card, not the country you live in. A euro card bought on holiday is a euro card.
2. Expect the payout to follow the currency. Cards in other currencies are converted to US dollars at the rate shown in your estimate before the deduction. The sell page shows the exact figure before you enter the code.

The sell Steam page lists every country version we see, with the denominations, and marks which are accepted today with an instant estimate.

What a Steam card pays on GiftSello

Steam is on the automatic rate list. The deduction is 10%, the rate is locked when you submit, and there is nothing else to pay on the sale:

The payout is credited to your wallet within 24 hours of a complete, eligible submission. You can withdraw from $50 — so two $20 cards and a $10 card can be combined into one withdrawal — to a bank account or a crypto wallet.

What to check before you submit

• The code has not been redeemed. Do not "check" it by entering it in your own Steam account — that redeems it immediately.
• All characters are readable. Scratching too hard can remove part of a character. A photo of the back of the card helps the reviewer if anything is unclear.
• Keep the receipt. Steam codes bought with stolen cards are revoked later. A receipt shows the card was bought normally and speeds up verification on larger values.
• The value you declare matches the card. Enter what is printed, in the card's own currency.

Steam scams that end with a code being "sold"

A large share of Steam codes offered online come from someone who was tricked. If any of these sound familiar, do not sell or share the code until you are sure:

• "I accidentally reported your account" — a stranger says your account will be banned unless you contact a "Steam admin", who then asks for Wallet codes to "verify" you. Steam staff never ask for codes.
• Item trades paid "in codes later" — once you hand over skins or a code, there is no way to reverse it.
• Buyers who want a photo of the unscratched card first, then the code "to check it". A photo of the code is the code.

More patterns, and what to do if a code has already been shared, are in gift card scams to avoid when selling.

Physical card or digital code: does it matter?

Both are paid at the same rate. The differences are in what you need to submit and how quickly the card can be checked:

• Physical cards bought in a shop are activated at the till. If the activation failed, the code shows as invalid even though you paid for it — the shop's receipt is how you prove the purchase and get it fixed. Always keep it until the card is paid.
• Digital codes bought online arrive by e-mail or on an order page. Paste the code instead of typing it, and keep the order confirmation. If the code came from a reseller marketplace rather than a known retailer, be cautious: codes bought there are sometimes revoked later.
• Codes received as a gift are fine to sell as long as they are unused. If you can, ask the person who gave it to you for the receipt or the order e-mail — it helps with larger values.

Selling other gaming cards

The same checks apply to every gaming wallet card: region, currency, unused code and receipt. The most common ones have their own pages — PlayStation, Xbox, Razer Gold and Roblox — and every gaming brand is in the gaming directory. Brands that are not on the automatic list are quoted by a person before anything is credited.

Common questions

Can I sell a Steam card from another region?

Yes. Choose the country and currency on the card. If that version is not on the automatic list, submit it for review and you will get a quote in US dollars to accept or decline.

Can I sell the balance in my Steam Wallet?

No. Once a code is redeemed the money belongs to the Steam account and cannot be turned back into a code. Only unused codes can be sold.

How fast is the payout?

Within 24 hours of a complete, eligible submission — guaranteed. Most Steam cards are verified much faster.