reporter: michele cherchi appreciates that now, thought at first he was sceptical.is brother convinced him to start using sardex. because sardex is the currency used by network members to pay for all goods and services with sardex, it has opened new opportunities. cherchi: we were able offset a 20% business loss with our sardex customers. they would never have come to us otherwise. sardex doesn't obligate anyone to buy from specific companies. some people were curious about our products and then they became loyal customers. reporter: economic growth, those are magic words for economist annalaura ianiro. italy's companies need incentives to invest. one incentive for using sardex is that no one is charged, nor receives interest. that's why they're constantly in circulation and the market in contant motion. ianiro: it's not just about survival, it's also about growth. the sardex model doesn't only offer the exchange of goods and services. it provides contact to other companies. that generates economic growth. reporter: pier giacomo saddi would even be willing to forgo