Square Enix has officially expanded the gifting system on the Final Fantasy XIV Online Store as of April 2, 2026, restoring the ability to send a broader range of items to friends.
The update reintroduces functionality that had been restricted since late 2022, when the company limited gifting options to combat fraud and real-money trading (RMT). With this change, players once again gain access to a more flexible and social-friendly store experience.
What Items Can Now Be Gifted
The updated “Buy For A Friend” system now allows players to gift several additional item categories that were previously locked:
- Mounts redeemable on a single character
- Minions redeemable on a single character
- Emotes
- Orchestrion rolls
- Face paint
- Chocobo barding
- Fashion accessories
However, account-wide mounts remain excluded from gifting, indicating that some safeguards are still in place.
What Changed Compared to 2022 Restrictions
Before October 2022, the Online Store operated with a code-based system that allowed players to freely gift items without major restrictions. That system was scaled back shortly after Patch 6.2 (Endwalker), following reports of abuse through third-party code resellers.
Since then, gifting had been limited to a smaller selection of items, including:
- Weapons
- Costumes
- Fantasia potions
- Dyes
- Hairstyles
- Tales of Adventure books
The April 2026 update significantly broadens those limits, though it does not fully return to the unrestricted system seen before.
Gifting Rules and Limitations
Despite the expansion, Square Enix has retained several safeguards to prevent abuse:
- Items can only be used by the buyer or sent via in-game mail
- Recipients must be on the sender’s friends list for at least three real-world days
- Each character can have up to 200 friends
These restrictions are designed to reduce the risk of fraud while still enabling legitimate gifting between players.
Timing Aligns With Busy Month for FFXIV
The update arrives during an active period for Final Fantasy XIV, with multiple events and releases scheduled throughout April.
The Moogle Treasure Trove event is currently ongoing and will run until April 28. Shortly after, Patch 7.5, titled “Trail to the Heavens,” is set to launch on April 28, with its story concluding in Patch 7.56 expected in early September.
In addition, the North American FanFest will take place on April 24–25 in Anaheim, further highlighting the game’s continued momentum.
A Step Toward Restoring Player Trust
By expanding gifting options again, Square Enix appears to be responding to long-standing community feedback. While the system is still more controlled than it was before 2022, the return of key item categories signals a shift toward balancing security with player freedom.
For many players, this update restores a key part of the social experience—being able to share mounts, cosmetics, and collectibles with friends without heavy limitations.
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