Alternative value exchange systems and methods

Abstract

This disclosure describes, generally, methods and systems for exchanging alternative currencies. The method includes creating, at an alternative currency platform, a plurality of user accounts and receiving, from a first user in the plurality of user accounts, an alternative currency exchange offer. The alternative currency exchange offer includes one or more offer terms and associated assets. Furthermore, the method includes extending the alternative currency exchange offer from the first user to the second user, in response to receiving acceptance of the offer from the second user, verifying the associated assets of the first user and the second user, and in response to verification of the assets of the first user and second user, providing settlement of the alternative currency exchange offer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of transferring value comprising:
 receiving, by a host computer, a request to perform a value transfer of a specified amount, from a first party to a second party;   determining, by the host computer, a first currency associated with the first party;   identifying, by the host computer, a plurality of alternative currency platforms to perform the requested value transfer, the identified plurality of alternative currency platforms including at least:
 a first alternative currency platform configured to exchange the first currency for one or more alternative currencies; and 
 a second alternative currency platform configured to exchange a second currency for one or more alternative currencies; 
   causing, by the host computer, the specified amount of the first currency to be transferred from the first party;   initiating, via the first alternative currency platform, a first trade of the first currency transferred from the first party, into an alternative currency;   initiating, via the second alternative currency platform, a second trade of at least a portion of the alternative currency output via the first trade, into the second currency; and   causing, by the host computer, at least a portion of the second currency output via the second trade to be transferred to the second party.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a set of desired terms associated with the requested value transfer; and   determining a suitable plurality of trades and a plurality of trading partners, based on the received set of desired terms for the requested value transfer.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 analyzing, by an assessor on the host computer, the requested value transfer to determine a relative value of the requested value transfer, based on the determined suitable plurality of trades involving the alternative currency;   based on the analysis, generating a value score for the requested value transfer; and   determining that the value score meets or exceeds a minimum threshold.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first currency transferred from the first party is a monetary currency of a first country, and wherein the second currency transferred to the second party is a monetary currency of a second country. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the alternative currency is a non-monetary currency whose relative value is determined by a virtual community. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 calculating the exchange rate for the alternative currency with respect to the first currency and with respect to the second currency, based on at least one of: recently-completed trades, trend data, and pending offer data.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving acceptance of the requested value transfer from the second party;   in response to receiving acceptance of the requested value transfer from the second party, verifying associated assets of the first party and the second party; and   in response to verification of the assets of the first party and second party, providing settlement of the requested value transfer by initiating the first trade and the second trade, wherein providing settlement of the requested value transfer further comprises holding one or more of the assets of the first party in escrow.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 settling among the first party and the second party through a single trade.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 settling among the first alternative currency platform and the second alternative currency platform through a single trade.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether using the plurality of alternative currency platforms is desirable.   
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 a processing unit comprising one or more processors;   a communications subsystem configured to perform network communications with a plurality of alternative currency platform systems; and   memory coupled with and readable by the processing unit and storing therein a set of instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the system to:
 receive a request to perform a value transfer of a specified amount, from a first party to a second party; 
 determine a first currency associated with the first party; 
 identify a plurality of alternative currency platform systems to perform the requested value transfer, the identified plurality of alternative currency platform systems including at least
 a first alternative currency platform system configured to exchange the first currency for one or more alternative currencies; and 
 a second alternative currency platform system configured to exchange a second currency for one or more alternative currencies; 
 
 causing the specified amount of the first currency to be transferred from the first party; 
 communicating with the first alternative currency platform system to cause the first alternative currency platform system to perform a first trade of the first currency transferred from the first party, into an alternative currency; 
 communicating with the second alternative currency platform system to cause the second alternative currency platform system to perform a second trade of at least a portion of the alternative currency output via the first trade, into the second currency; and 
 causing at least a portion of the second currency output via the second trade to be transferred to the second party. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , the memory storing therein additional instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the system to:
 receive a set of desired terms associated with the requested value transfer;   determine a suitable plurality of trades and the plurality of trading partners, based on the received set of desired terms for the requested value transfer;   analyze the requested value transfer to determine a relative value of the requested value transfer, based on the determined suitable plurality of trades involving the alternative currency;   based on the analysis, generate a value score for the requested value transfer; and   determine that the value score meets or exceeds a minimum threshold.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first currency transferred from the first party is a monetary currency of a first country, and wherein the second currency transferred to the second party is a monetary currency of a second country. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , the memory storing therein additional instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the system to:
 calculate the exchange rate for the alternative currency with respect to the first currency and with respect to the second currency, based on at least one of: recently-completed trades, trend data, and pending offer data.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , the memory storing therein additional instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the system to:
 receive acceptance of the requested value transfer from the second party;   in response to receiving acceptance of the requested value transfer from the second party, verify associated assets of the first party and the second party; and   in response to verification of the assets of the first party and second party, provide settlement of the requested value transfer by initiating the first trade and the second trade, wherein providing settlement of the requested value transfer further comprises holding one or more of the assets of the first party in escrow.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium for transferring value, having sets of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
 receive, at the computer, a request to perform a value transfer of a specified amount, from a first party to a second party;   determine, by the computer, a first currency associated with the first party;   identify, by the computer, a plurality of alternative currency platforms to perform the requested value transfer, the identified plurality of alternative currency platforms including at least:
 a first alternative currency platform configured to exchange the first currency for one or more alternative currencies; and 
 a second alternative currency platform configured to exchange a second currency for one or more alternative currencies; 
   cause, by the computer, the specified amount of the first currency to be transferred from the first party;   communicate with the first alternative currency platform to initiate a first trade of the first currency transferred from the first party, into an alternative currency;   communicate with the second alternative currency platform to initiate a second trade of at least a portion of the alternative currency output via the first trade, into the second currency; and   cause, by the computer, at least a portion of the second currency output via the second trade to be transferred to the second party.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , having additional instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:
 receive a set of desired terms associated with the requested value transfer;   determine a suitable plurality of trades and the plurality of trading partners, based on the received set of desired terms for the requested value transfer;   analyze the requested value transfer to determine a relative value of the requested value transfer, based on the determined suitable plurality of trades involving the alternative currency;   based on the analysis, generate a value score for the requested value transfer; and   determine that the value score meets or exceeds a minimum threshold.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the first currency associated with the first party is a monetary currency of a first country, and wherein the second currency transferred to the second party is a monetary currency of a second country. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the alternative currency is a non-monetary currency whose relative value is determined by a virtual community. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , having additional instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:
 calculate the exchange rate for the alternative currency with respect to the first currency and with respect to the second currency, based on at least one of: recently-completed trades, trend data, and pending offer data.