That is just a side effect about how certain exchanges work, you can still trade one good for another without using cash, and it's a taxable event because your

That is just a side effect about how certain exchanges work, you can still trade one good for another without using cash, and it's a taxable event because your 'liquidating' property. It's known as bartering income: https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc420 https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc420