Barter, humanity's oldest form of exchange, is finding a new lease of life in the digital age. Across Europe, rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis are driving people to seek alternatives to traditional cash transactions. A new generation of apps is reviving the spirit of swapping goods and favours, but with a modern twist: time and skills replace money.
One such platform, SACO, was developed by two Spanish entrepreneurs, including Kazuhiro Tajima, a psychiatrist of Japanese descent based in Spain. The app operates on a simple premise: users offer their expertise—whether in tax preparation, language tutoring, graphic design, or even niche hobbies like Japanese cooking—and earn minutes of credit. These minutes can then be spent to request help from anyone else in the community. No euros, pounds, or any other currency changes hands.
Time as a new currency
“It is a return of barter in a modern, digital version,” Tajima explains. The system is designed to make knowledge exchange frictionless, bypassing the need for direct financial compensation. In a continent where many households are tightening their belts, this model offers a way to access services without depleting savings. The platform’s unit of exchange is minutes, turning time into a fungible asset.
The range of skills on offer is broad: from private music lessons and AI consulting to travel planning and sports coaching. Even everyday abilities—like fixing a leaky tap or giving advice on urban gardening—can become valuable services. “Everyone has some innate talent they fail to value, or that they do not monetise out of fear or embarrassment,” says Tajima. The app aims to unlock that potential.
This resurgence of barter fits neatly into the broader sharing economy, which has gained traction across Europe. Platforms like BlaBlaCar and Airbnb have already shown that trust and community can replace traditional market mechanisms. SACO extends that logic by treating knowledge as a shared resource, not a commodity. It also echoes the principles of the circular economy, where underused assets—in this case, human skills—are put to work.
Human connection in an AI age
The timing is no coincidence. As artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT become ubiquitous, many Europeans are craving authentic, person-to-person interactions. While AI can answer queries in seconds, it cannot replicate the nuance of a face-to-face conversation or the context of a lived experience. “Barter is the first form of economy and it has never entirely disappeared,” Tajima notes. “In times of crisis there is always a resurgence.”
The app includes a rating system, similar to those used by ride-sharing or accommodation platforms, to build trust among users. This human element is crucial: the exchange is not just about saving money but about forging new social bonds. In cities like Barcelona, Madrid, or Berlin, where the cost of living has soared, such platforms offer a way to connect with neighbours and share expertise without the pressure of a price tag.
The trend is not limited to Spain. Across Europe, from the UK to the Balkans, collaborative consumption is evolving. For instance, EV batteries are being used to power homes during blackouts, a parallel example of turning underused assets into value. Similarly, the revival of ancient practices like transhumance in the French Alps shows how tradition can meet modern needs.
For Tajima and his team, the goal is to democratise access to skills. “Rather than generating income, these platforms turn that knowledge into a currency that makes it possible to access other services without any outlay,” he says. In an era of economic uncertainty, that idea is gaining traction. The app’s success will depend on whether it can scale beyond early adopters and build a critical mass of users across Europe.
Ultimately, SACO and similar platforms represent a quiet revolution: they challenge the assumption that every interaction must be monetised. By treating time and expertise as valid forms of payment, they offer a glimpse of a more collaborative, less transactional economy. As Tajima puts it, “Everyone has something to teach, and everyone has something to learn.”
