Guide ·
Temporary Economy Hold in WoW Forever: What It Is and Does
A Temporary Economy Hold in World of Warcraft: Forever (WoW Forever) is a restriction on trade, mail, guild banks and the Auction House for an account suspected of real money trading; Blizzard Support says it lasts up to 72 hours. Details are as of November 9, 2026.
Quick answer: Blizzard's community manager Kaivax announced the holds on October 13. Blizzard Support says an account that recently received gold that may have been sourced illegitimately can be held up to 72 hours, and that holds show on the Battle.net restrictions page. Neither page describes an appeal.
Key facts
- Restricted: trade, mail, guild banks, the Auction House (Blizzard post and Support)
- Duration: up to 72 hours (Blizzard Support); the October 13 post gave no length
- Where to look: the Battle.net restrictions page (Blizzard Support)
What did Blizzard's post say?
On October 13, Kaivax wrote that some players had started to encounter "our latest weapon" against real money trade. An account suspected of selling or receiving illicit gains can face a hold restricting trade, mail, guild banks and the Auction House. The aim, the post says, is to stop suspicious gold before it enters circulation while Blizzard investigates.
It says normal players are unlikely to see a hold, that it is removed automatically if the actions are found innocent, and that account actions follow if RMT involvement is found. It calls the system new, warns of false positives, and says a hold alone leaves no permanent strike unless RMT is later proven. PC Gamer reported the post on October 14, and Warcraft Tavern also covered it.
What does Blizzard Support say?
Blizzard Support's article "Temporary Economy Hold", updated two days before my read, is listed under the problem "I cannot trade" in the "World of Warcraft Forever: Common Issues" section. It says that if you recently received gold that could have been sourced illegitimately, your account is held for up to 72 hours and cannot trade, mail, or use the guild bank or Auction House. The hold is removed automatically if the transaction is identified as legitimate; penalties follow an investigation if the account is found involved in RMT. It names the Battle.net restrictions page as where the hold shows.
What do the pages not say?
Neither Blizzard page I read describes an appeal, a way to find which transaction triggered the hold, or compensation for false positives. The Support article's only action is a prompt to log in to submit feedback.
Does it apply to WoW Forever only?
The October 13 post does not say whether holds are beta-only or live, and says Blizzard intends to deploy these systems to all versions of World of Warcraft if they prove successful. Kami Labs described it as targeting the beta. The Support article is filed under "World of Warcraft Forever: Common Issues", though its own text does not name Forever, so Blizzard's placement is the only sign it applies to the live game. See our gold buying and holds guide.
What do players say?
The forum thread had 13 replies and 28.7k views when I read it. Kami Labs, summarizing the thread on October 14, said players split: some welcomed holds over instant bans, others feared being held for gold from a trade partner they cannot vet and asked about trades among friends. I read only the first post myself. These are player opinions; Blizzard's post says only that false positives are possible. See the gold making guide.
What is not confirmed yet
- Appeals: no Blizzard page I read describes one.
- Live Forever scope: not stated in the post; Support files it under Forever but does not name it.
- Duration: the post gave none; Support says up to 72 hours.
Can the Lore Forever add-on or Willo help with this?
The free Lore Forever add-on does not touch your gold or trading. It has no internet access. Willo is a separate companion app for Windows 10 or 11 and Apple Silicon Macs (macOS 12 or later), per her page; her FAQ and the Lore Forever FAQ say Windows and Mac, though CurseForge still calls her a Windows app. Ask her out loud a general question; she is free to start with 50 answers a day, can be wrong and is not official. For a hold on your account, only Blizzard Support counts. Both are fan-made and not affiliated with Blizzard.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Temporary Economy Hold in WoW Forever?
A restriction on trade, mail, guild banks and the Auction House for an account suspected of real money trading, per Blizzard.
How long does a Temporary Economy Hold last?
Blizzard Support says up to 72 hours. The October 13 forum post gave no length.
How do I know if I have a Temporary Economy Hold?
Blizzard Support's article says the Battle.net restrictions page shows it.
Is a Temporary Economy Hold a ban?
No. Blizzard says a hold alone leaves no permanent strike unless RMT is later proven.
Can I appeal a Temporary Economy Hold?
I found no appeal process in Blizzard's post or Support article. The Support article only asks you to log in to submit feedback.
Sources
Reviewed November 9, 2026. Lore Forever and Willo are fan-made and are not affiliated with Blizzard Entertainment.