BUFF163

BUFF163 adopts a P2P structure, meaning all trades happen directly between Steam inventories. This streamlined approach removes the requirement for sellers to transfer items to a marketplace-controlled inventory. As a result, sellers can list the same item on multiple platforms simultaneously. However, the manual confirmation needed when an item is purchased can cause minor delays in the buyer’s experience. In exchange, this model significantly reduces the risk of scams that plagued older trading methods and has become a template for many modern CS2 marketplaces.

The platform’s popularity soared by offering competitive fees and a user-friendly interface, making it easy for both newcomers and veteran traders to engage. Over the years, BUFF163 has established itself as a highly trusted third-party marketplace, especially for high-tier or rare items—cosmetics that are often unavailable on the Steam Community Market. The term “BUFF Price” emerged as a standard reference in the CS2 community, with traders frequently using BUFF163’s listed prices to gauge market value before finalizing deals elsewhere.

Since its inception in 2018, BUFF163 has been a driving force in bringing P2P trading into the mainstream. Before BUFF163’s rise, high-tier traders often had to risk potential scams or rely on slower, bot-based systems. The site’s influence on liquidity was quickly felt: valuable skins like the AWP Dragon Lore, historically scarce on Steam, appeared in more plentiful quantities on BUFF163. In June 2022, BUFF163 faced a high-profile incident when stolen items from a hacked $2 million CS2 inventory were inadvertently traded on the platform; Valve later reverted these trades, leaving innocent buyers at a loss. BUFF163 reimbursed affected players out of its own pocket, further solidifying its reputation among users. Today, BUFF163’s ownership by NetEase—valued at over $70 billion—reinforces its standing as a major player in the digital asset trading space.

The most notable advantage for sellers on BUFF163 is its relatively low transaction fee—around 2.5%—in stark contrast to the roughly 15% fee on the Steam Community Market. While many alternative third-party marketplaces tend to charge higher commissions, BUFF163’s fee structure remains highly competitive, contributing to the marketplace’s solid reputation among cost-conscious traders.

BUFF163 is part of the larger NetEase ecosystem, a major force in Chinese entertainment and gaming. NetEase has partnered with global companies like Blizzard and Marvel, bringing games and pop culture content to Chinese audiences. Though BUFF163 itself focuses on Steam items (CS2, DOTA 2, Team Fortress 2, Rust), its affiliation with NetEase means it naturally intersects with a variety of initiatives in gaming and technology. This broad corporate backing underlines the marketplace’s credibility in the industry.

One of the biggest advantages is the ability for global users to trade premium CS2 skins without fear of scams, thanks to the direct P2P transfer model. Items that might be scarce on Steam’s official market often remain readily available on BUFF163, and the “BUFF Price” concept has become a universal reference for fair trade values. Additionally, a low seller fee, robust liquidity, and a high volume of daily trades mean that users can generally sell or buy items faster than on many competing platforms. Another strongpoint is that BUFF163 also supports items from games like DOTA 2, Team Fortress 2, and Rust, providing a cross-game marketplace environment.

The primary drawback for international users is that BUFF163 restricts real-money cash-outs and cash-ins to Chinese residents. Foreign users can’t deposit or withdraw fiat currency directly; they have to rely on selling their existing skins to acquire balance and then use that balance to purchase other items on the platform. Buyers also experience brief trade delays if a seller takes time to confirm the transaction, a natural consequence of the P2P system. While the platform’s global reach and influence have grown, regional limitations regarding direct currency conversion remain a point of frustration for some.

A particularly interesting development is the pervasive use of “BUFF Price” as a standard reference across the CS2 trading community. Even if trades happen elsewhere, many participants consult BUFF163 data to verify a skin’s true market value. This phenomenon reflects BUFF163’s influence, as it effectively sets a global baseline for high-end and rare cosmetic pricing.

Following the 2022 hacking scandal, BUFF163’s decision to reimburse buyers underscored its commitment to user satisfaction and damage control. While such actions aren’t typically guaranteed, this episode showed the platform’s willingness to uphold consumer trust by addressing high-profile incidents with transparent, user-centric solutions.