I am half disappointed with this news, I think it’s a really good idea to seriously limit trade which is going to enhance the value of farming.
However, it took more than a year to implement multiplayer without any other content update in the meanwhile, so I would at least expect the multi experience to be top notch, and I believe it won’t be the case with this form of « gifting » system which seems to me insufficient.
Let’s say I play the game with one or two IRL friends, but I have more time to sink into the game, which means more time to loot stuff, and in the end, having stronger overall characters and getting ahead of them in the corruption levels I farm.
If I can’t share any item I loot, that could be good for them, to help them improve their characters and continue farming with me at higher levels, that means I will have to play at their levels if we want to continue playing together, removing all the fun for me since the content will appear to easy, and the drops too low level.
A strict solution could be to choose one or two person at the beginning of a league, with whom you will be able to trade freely during all the season, at the condition that they also add you in their one or two friend group.