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 membership 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, partnerships, 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

This category is designed for companies who are involved with the modern Trade and Barter industry and have internal barter divisions or individuals to facilitate their trading. This category member may belong to other barter exchanges, but if they do it is precluded from having a UC account due to the conflict of interest it would create with other IRTA/UC members who may already have this category member as a client in their exchange.  If the non-industry member does not have pre-existing barter accounts with other IRTA/UC members, it is permitted to open a UC account.