Intermedier

Intermedier, or intermediaries, is a term used in economics and business to describe agents that operate between two or more parties to facilitate exchanges that would be costly or impractical to perform directly. Intermedier can be organizations, firms, or digital platforms that connect buyers and sellers, lenders and borrowers, or information producers and users across various markets and sectors.

The core functions of intermedier include matching counterparties, reducing search and transaction costs, providing financing or liquidity, screening and standardizing information, and managing risk. They also offer trust mechanisms, contracts, guarantees, and customer support, and can perform logistics, quality control, and after-sales service. By integrating multiple activities, intermedier help increase efficiency and speed in market transactions.

Intermediaries can be classified by activity. Financial intermediaries include banks, pension funds, and insurance companies that canalize funds from savers to borrowers. Non-financial intermediaries include wholesalers, retailers, brokers, and marketplace operators who connect producers with consumers. Digital platforms such as online marketplaces, payment processors, and ride-hailing apps are a prominent contemporary form of intermediation, often combining several intermediary functions in one service.

Intermediation enhances market efficiency by increasing liquidity, access to capital, and variety of goods and services. However, intermediaries also introduce costs (fees), potential conflicts of interest, dependence on platform design, and power concentration that may affect competition or consumer choice. Regulation, transparency, and oversight aim to address these concerns while preserving the benefits of mediation.