Infamous cryptocurrency Bitcoin is renowned for enabling its users to buy illegal goods online. But thanks to a Berlin-based cluster of brick-and-mortar stores, people can buy a beer with Bitcoin now, too. But what do retailers stand to gain from accepting a currency that’s still so underused?

The sharing economy has its detractors, with Fast Company’s Sarah Kessler going so far as to state that “the real sharing economy is dead.” But newly launched app TimeRepublik is set to give it a little more life, letting people ‘spend and earn time’. But how does it work?

How much co-working actually happens in co-working spaces? They might be hyped as the future of work, but more often than not they’re filled with people tapping away in silence. In Seats2Meet, you get a desk and WiFi for free, as long as you actually talk to the people around you.

Brands want people to interact with their products and services - because interaction can take on value as an alternative to traditional currencies - and they're constantly searching for the best exchange rate. But what's in it for consumers?