The Sharing Economy is an economic and cultural system where individuals share resources, assets, and services directly with each other. The digital age has given rise to a proliferation of peer-to-peer platform apps and platforms that make sharing possible. But sharing has long been a principle in human society, and anthropologists are interested in the many ways that decentralization has led to changing social patterns. There are two main branches to the Sharing Economy. The commercial or on-demand sector is dominated by familiar mobility and accommodations brands like Airbnb and Uber. Brands like Mechanical Turk and Task Rabbit have contributed to online labor marketplaces in the United States, providing short-term informal employment opportunities and impacting the definition of work. Community-based brands meet local needs such as tool sharing and tech support, reducing dependence on ownership and also contributing to community building and civil action. The second main branch of the Sharing Economy is called solidarity based and can be seen in civil society startups that leverage surpluses in some segments of society in response to societal needs in other segments. In both branches, sustainable development is a primary driver behind the success of the Sharing Economy, especially in the European Union. Many innovators in the field are also motivated by the financial gains to be had, accompanied by the possibilities for independent work schedules and a healthier work–life balance. Many academic disciplines are interested in the future directions of the Sharing Economy because of its disruptive effects in cultural and economic systems, for example, in real estate markets, in patterns of tourism, in changing ownership patterns, and the increased efficiency brought on by the reuse of idle capacity.