Q:

What do you call an intermediate trading step

Suppose you want to trade A for B, but there is no direct trade option available. However, the following possibility is available:

trade A for C
trade C for B

So, instead of making a direct trade (A for B), you would have to make the extra step (A for C, then C for B).
Since this concept is not exactly new, I was wondering whether or not there is a special term for this trading tactic?

A:

According to Wikipedia it’s a multilateral exchange. 

For example, Alice gives Bob an apple in exchange for an orange, that is a bilateral exchange. A multilateral exchange would involve a third party, for example: Alice gives an apple to Bob who gives an orange to Charles, who gives a pear to Alice.

