IRTA Membership Categories

IRTA Member

Every member of IRTA is required to renew their
commitment to the IRTA Code of Ethics annually.
By doing so, IRTA members also agree to be held
accountable by fellow members in a peer-to-peer
regulatory process. This means that they agree to participate
in a forum of industry professionals – the IRTA Ethics
Committee – to resolve any disputes brought against them by
another industry professional or industry participant.

IRTA Members are leaders because they follow in a long line
of successful exchange owners who believe and participate
in efforts to raise the perception and value of reciprocal trade
through barter worldwide. They are involved in educating and
sharing best practices through the IRTA and support needed
efforts to represent barter trade accurately and effectively to
media and governments.

IRTA Applicant Member:

This category is reserved for exchanges
that are in their first three years of operation
and intend to be leaders in their field.
Exchanges that join IRTA at this critical time
in their development are required to provide the IRTA
Membership Committee with evidence of reputable exchange
practices over a 12-18 month time frame. After successful
completion, Applicant Member Exchanges are asked to stay
on as an IRTA Member Exchange.

Applicant members are praised for their efforts to reach
higher standards and are rewarded by receiving guidance
and input from long-time industry leaders.

IRTA Certified Member

IRTA Certified members are exchanges or
barter companies who choose to provide
additional verification to IRTA regarding
their impeccable level of conduct, service
and commitment to ethics.
Not only do Certified Exchanges meet the already prestigious
regular IRTA Membership criteria, they also meet additional
criteria regarding their track record as a successful exchange
and voluntarily provide information regarding their compliant
operations and how they protect their clearing system from
the negative effects of uncontrolled deficit spending.

To qualify as an IRTA Certified Trade Exchange:

• The exchange must be a Regular Member of IRTA for
  12 months before being able to apply.
• The exchange must also meet Regular IRTA Member
  renewal requirements.
• The exchange must have at least 5 years of successful
  ownership of an exchange network. This means no
  ethics complaints on file with IRTA (that were found to
  be valid), no record of bankruptcy, etc.

To become an IRTA Certified Trade Exchange:

• If you are an exchange operating in the United States,
  you must provide supporting evidence (via a letter from
  qualified CPA or local tax professional) that you have
  filed 1099B’s on time for the prior tax year.
• You must provide a copy of your exchange membership
  agreement along with a brief explanation of how your
  membership agreement handles deficits in your exchange
  system. In other words, what assurances/protection do
  you have for ensuring the value of the trade credit you issue.

To maintain membership as an IRTA Certified Trade Exchange

• The above requirements must be provided every year to
  renew membership as an IRTA Certified Trade Exchange.
  

IRTA Industry Service Provider

IRTA is proud to have among its member-
ship valuable individuals, partnerships,
corporations and firms that provide services,
support or counseling to the barter industry
as their primary business.
Software providers, exchange training and coaching and trade
publications are among these members. Some of which have
supported reciprocal trading for many years. Without their
contributions, the barter industry could not have evolved to
where it is today.

IRTA Associate Member                                                                                

It is not uncommon for individuals, partner-
ships, corporations or firms to subscribe to
the objectives of IRTA, but not be operating
a primary business that deals with barter.
Many of whom want to contribute and participate in the
development of this exciting industry. Associate Members
are able to join and support IRTA through this category.

IRTA Non Industry Member                                                                         

There are a select group of companies
who have a barter and media division
but choose not to utilize a retail trade
exchange. This category allows these
companies to join and support IRTA and also participate
in Universal Currency. This member category is not
available to any company who is currently a member of
a corporate or retail trade exchange, or whom IRTA
classifies a prospect for our members.