According to BB_Pandur's post on the German forum, so nicely linked to by Dilbe, the main reason for the 24-hour rule was indeed protection against reverse trades...
Warum wird der Handel mit neuen Freunden zeitlich (24h) geblockt?
Unser Support hat festgestellt, dass viele neuere Spieler (aber auch schon ältere Hasen) über den Freundeshandel betrogen werden: So wird im Handel etwas angeboten, dann eine Freundesanfrage gestellt - aus Routine angenommen, und der vermeintliche Betrüger sendet einen Handel genau umgekehrt zu dem, der im Marktplatz eingestellt wurde. Versehentlich ist so ein Handelsangebot schnell angeklickt.Since this kind of reverse trade scamming anyway will be impossible tomorrow, this 24-hour restriction doesn't offer protection, only unnecessary annoyance. Even if lootspots can still be sold in a somewhat cumbersome way through normal trade, it stops other kinds of trades and help actions that I've done a few times...Why is trade with new friends blocked for 24h?
Our support has found that many new players (but also older experts) are scammed through the friends trade: A trade is offered in the marketplace, then a friends request arrives - routinely accepted, and the alleged scammer sends exactly the reverse trade of what was entered in the marketplace. Such a trade offer is quickly clicked and accidentally accepted.
- A player in global-3 asks if someone could help him with a small amount of resources to quickly finish some task or quest.
I have a few times given away resources for free this way. I won't be doing that tomorrow anymore.
- A player in global-3 asks if he could borrow some resources, so that he could start an upgrade before going to bed.
Promises to pay back tomorrow. One of my current friendships started this way, but won't happen again after tomorrow.Most of my friends in this game are friends I've made through trade (and not the other way... becoming friends first, and then trading a day or two later). I certainly hope that the game will not become a less friendly one, if we from now on are being restricted mainly to the anonymous marketplace.
- A player in global-3 needs someone to buff a few buildings for him, but has no buffs in store to swap with.
Instead he offers resources or gold to the kind person buffing him. Can't be done tomorrow.