intermediario

An intermediary, in Italian "intermediario," is a person or organization that acts as a go-between to facilitate a transaction, negotiation, or process between two or more parties. Intermediaries provide access to information, arrange deals, reduce transaction costs, and may offer services such as verification, risk management, and logistics.

Common types include commercial intermediaries (agents, brokers, wholesalers) who connect buyers and sellers; financial intermediaries (banks, investment firms, brokers) that channel funds and facilitate payments; insurance intermediaries (agents, brokers) that arrange coverage; and real estate intermediaries (agents, brokers) who assist in buying and selling property. In legal and dispute-resolution contexts, mediators, arbitrators, notaries and facilitators act as intermediaries to resolve conflicts or certify transactions. Digital platforms (online marketplaces, payment processors, matchmaking apps) function as modern intermediaries by connecting demand and supply.

Intermediaries may operate on commission, fee, or spread-based models. They often assume fiduciary or agency duties toward clients and are subject to regulation aimed at disclosure, licensing, and consumer protection, as well as anti-money laundering and know-your-customer rules in financial contexts. Ethical considerations include managing conflicts of interest, transparency about fees, and representing clients' best interests when acting as agents.

Limitations and critiques include potential misaligned incentives, information asymmetry if the intermediary withholds information, and the risk of market power in two-sided platforms. Nonetheless, intermediaries play a central role in modern economies by reducing search costs, enabling complex transactions, and facilitating trust between participants.