WoW Forever Temporary Economy Holds: Blizzard's New Anti-RMT Tool
Blizzard has started using a new anti-gold-buying tool in WoW: Forever, called a Temporary Economy Hold. It was announced in a blue post on the beta forums on 13 October.
What it does
According to community manager Kaivax, an account suspected of Real Money Trade (RMT), either selling or receiving illicit gold, may be placed under a hold. While it is active you have restricted use of:
- Trading
- Guild banks
- The Auction House
Blizzard says the aim is to “aggressively shut down the flow of suspicious gold” before it is transferred or enters circulation, and to give the team time to investigate properly.
What happens next
The hold is either removed automatically once the activity that triggered it has been checked and found innocent, or the account receives account actions if it was involved in RMT. Blizzard says that merely having a hold leaves no permanent strike unless RMT is later proven.
Normal players are unlikely to see it, but Blizzard admits the system is new and there may be false positives while it is fine-tuned.
Beyond Forever
Blizzard also says these systems will be deployed to all versions of World of Warcraft if they prove successful.
Player opinion
Reaction in the thread was mixed. Some players (opinion, not fact) worry about innocent accounts being caught, for example by receiving gold in a trade without knowing where it came from, and asked what Blizzard plans to do about bots. We have no confirmation of how many accounts have been affected.
For more on the economy, see our professions guide and the Azeroth Commerce Authority guide. Forever is still in beta, so details may change before launch on 4 November 2026. Last checked 14 October 2026.
Sources: Blizzard forums blue post, “Temporary Economy Holds For RMT”; Wowhead news summary.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Temporary Economy Hold in WoW Forever?
It is a restriction Blizzard can place on accounts suspected of buying or selling gold (RMT). It limits trade, mail, guild banks and the Auction House while Blizzard investigates.
Will a Temporary Economy Hold get my account banned?
No. Blizzard says a hold alone leaves no permanent strike. Account actions only follow if you are found to have been involved in RMT.
Can normal players get an economy hold?
Blizzard says it is unlikely if you are just playing normally, but admits the system is new and may produce false positives.
