The economy of the known galaxy is one of the largest and most interconnected systems ever created, linking trillions of citizens, hundreds of inhabited worlds, and countless independent colonies through an immense web of trade routes, banking institutions, shipping companies, and digital markets. While every government, kingdom, corporation, and faction maintains its own taxes, tariffs, and economic policies, nearly all participate in a standardized monetary system established and maintained by the Intergalactic Mercenary Guild (I.M.G.). The Guild's influence over banking, trade security, and interstellar commerce has made its currency the universal standard accepted almost everywhere.
A world's wealth is rarely determined by the amount of money it possesses, but rather by its access to raw materials, manufacturing capabilities, skilled labor, transportation infrastructure, and security. Because of this, prices naturally fluctuate between planets despite using the same currency. Distance from production centers, piracy, political conflicts, import taxes, and local demand all influence the final value of goods.
Bits are the smallest denomination of currency and are used for everyday purchases throughout the galaxy. They are also the exclusive currency used throughout Netspace, where every digital transaction is conducted in Bits.
Typical purchases include:
Street food
Nutrient rations
Public transportation
Ammunition
Basic clothing
Small repairs
Entertainment
Tips and gratuities
Most citizens carry thousands of Bits through secure digital banking rather than physical currency.
Credits are the primary currency used throughout civilized space.
Most salaries, trade contracts, taxes, vehicles, weapons, property rentals, and commercial purchases are conducted using Credits.
Governments often budget entire planetary departments in Credits.
Stacks represent extremely large sums of wealth.
Originally created by the I.M.G. banking system for interstellar corporations, governments, and ship manufacturers, Stacks eliminate the need to transfer enormous quantities of Credits.
Stacks are commonly used for:
Starship purchases
Military contracts
Planetary construction
Corporate acquisitions
Fleet logistics
Mining rights
Colony development
1 Stack = 10 Credits
Income varies enormously depending upon profession, education, faction, and planetary economy.
Examples:
Dock workers
Farmers
Miners
Factory workers
Cargo handlers
Typical wage (two weeks):
600–850 Bits
Examples:
Mechanics
Engineers
Nurses
Administrators
Technicians
Typical wage (two weeks):
80–180 Credits
Examples:
Military officers
Government officials
Scientists
Managers
Pilots
Licensed Psi Specialists
Typical wage (two weeks):
200–700 Credits
Exceptional professionals, successful merchants, senior executives, and renowned bounty hunters often earn substantially more.
Basic Nutrient Pack
3 Bits
Contains every nutrient required for most species.
Cheap, bland, and commonly consumed by miners, soldiers, and poorer citizens.
Simple Meal
5–20 Bits
Typical tavern food, street vendors, or cafeterias.
Quality Meal
30–70 Bits
Restaurant dining with quality ingredients.
Luxury Dining
1,000+ Credits
Exclusive restaurants featuring imported ingredients, legendary chefs, and extremely rare wines.
Basic Hostel Room
15 Credits/night
Private Apartment
300–900 Credits/month
Luxury Suite
800 Credits/night or more
Estate or Noble Residence
Prices vary into the millions of Credits.
Poor Used
2,500 Credits
Average Used
5,000 Credits
New Civilian
15,000–40,000 Credits
Luxury Models
100,000+ Credits
25,000–250,000 Credits
Depending upon hauling capacity.
Small Shuttle/Fighter
150,000–500,000 Credits
Light Freighter
3.8–5.2 Million Credits
Heavy Freighter
15–50 Million Credits
Military Frigate
Hundreds of millions of Credits
Capital Ships
Often measured in Stacks rather than Credits.
Owning a starship is only the beginning.
Captains must regularly pay for:
Small Ship
300–800 Credits
Long-distance jumps cost considerably more.
Minor damage
50–500 Credits
Combat repairs
Thousands to hundreds of thousands of Credits.
Crew members expect regular wages.
Examples:
Engineer
180–350 Credits
Pilot
250–600 Credits
Security Contractor
200–500 Credits
Mercenary Veteran
500–2,000 Credits
Small stations
25–100 Credits
Major starports
500–5,000 Credits
Luxury orbital docks
Far higher.
Most merchants insure valuable shipments.
Premiums depend on:
Route
Pirate activity
Political tensions
Cargo value
Although currency is standardized, markets are not.
Every planet develops its own economy.
Factors include:
Natural resources
Manufacturing capability
Labor costs
Import taxes
Local demand
Ongoing wars
Pirate activity
Trade agreements
This means identical products may have vastly different values between systems.
For example:
A light freighter costing 3.8 million Credits on Galidraan may cost 5.2 million Credits on Cael Arkanis if it must be imported, local shipyards lack the proper facilities, or wartime demand has driven prices upward.
Likewise, whiskey produced on Hade is an inexpensive everyday drink for locals, while on Galidraan it is considered a luxury import found only in high-end establishments.
Profitable merchants constantly seek opportunities to buy low and sell high across the galaxy. Successful traders study local economies, political tensions, and shortages, often earning fortunes by transporting goods where demand is greatest.
Arkanis Wine
Buy: Cael Arkanis
Sell: Draeth
Reason: Considered an exotic luxury among the wealthy Draethos, often selling for several times its original value.
Arkanis Wine (Smuggling Route)
Buy: Cael Arkanis
Sell: Earth
Reason: The ongoing war between the Hardan Republic and the Arkanis Imperium has made Arkanian goods illegal in many Republic territories. Successful smugglers can command enormous profits, though discovery often results in imprisonment or execution.
Hade Whiskey
Buy: Hade
Sell: Galidraan
Reason: A common beverage on Hade becomes a sought-after luxury spirit among Concord nobles and wealthy collectors.
Psi Crystals
Buy: Frontier mining worlds
Sell: Galidraan
Reason: The Iltaran Concord's constant demand for magical research and Psi-link production creates lucrative markets for high-quality crystals.
Military Surplus
Buy: Hardan Republic border worlds
Sell: Independent colonies
Reason: Frontier settlements often pay premium prices for refurbished weapons, armor, and defensive equipment unavailable through legal manufacturers.
Medical Supplies
Buy: Major industrial worlds
Sell: Expansion Region colonies
Reason: Remote settlements frequently lack advanced pharmaceuticals and emergency medical equipment, allowing traders to charge significant markups.
Luxury Foods
Buy: Agricultural paradise worlds
Sell: Dense ecumenopolises and mining colonies
Reason: Fresh produce, meats, and specialty ingredients are rare in heavily industrialized systems where most citizens rely on nutrient packs.
Alien Artifacts
Buy: Licensed archaeological expeditions or frontier salvagers
Sell: Museums, universities, private collectors, or the black market
Reason: Authentic relics from lost civilizations can fetch staggering prices, though ownership is often legally disputed.
Not all commerce is legal.
Pirates, criminal syndicates, corrupt officials, and smugglers sustain a vast underground economy dealing in prohibited goods such as military hardware, restricted technology, narcotics, forged identities, stolen starships, and enslaved beings. Prices fluctuate dramatically based on risk, scarcity, and law enforcement pressure. Organizations like the Shadow Collective dominate much of this illicit trade, while independent smugglers thrive by exploiting blockades, wars, and political rivalries.
Nearly every inhabited world connects to the Intergalactic Mercenary Guild Banking Network, allowing secure transfers of Bits, Credits, and Stacks across known space. Transactions are nearly instantaneous, and digital accounts can be accessed through secure terminals or Netspace. Worlds outside the network often rely on physical currency, barter, or locally issued notes until Guild banking infrastructure arrives.
Exceptional individuals such as Mercenaries, Bounty Hunters, Smugglers, Pirates, Explorers, Traders, and other renowned specialists operate as Licensed Independent Operators rather than ordinary employees. Their contracts are negotiated to include operational expenses such as fuel, crew wages, maintenance, insurance, docking fees, and hazard pay, leaving the remaining payment as the captain's net profit. Organizations willingly pay these premiums because employing a proven operator is often far cheaper than deploying their own personnel and resources. Likewise, pirate crews divide loot according to established share systems before the captain receives their portion, while military organizations like the Hardan Republic and Arkanis Imperium fully fund the operating costs of officers, Stellar Knights, and other official personnel.