The Steam $5 rule refers to Valve's anti-fraud policy requiring user accounts to spend the equivalent of at least $5 USD (or currency equivalent) on the platform to unlock full community and social features. Until a user meets this minimum spending threshold—by purchasing games, adding wallet funds, or redeeming gift cards—certain restricted features like adding friends, utilizing the community market, trading items, and posting external links remain locked. This security measure successfully prevents automated bot accounts from spamming community hubs, operating malicious phishing links, and exploiting marketplace functions.