Considering that modern humans have been around for roughly 200-300’000 years but the oldest known form of money / standardized currency dates back only 3000-2500 bce, what would today look like in a alternate reality where the concept of money was never conceived? Like I guess some form of “the market” has always been around, but still… what if?
In pre-history, it was believed to be mostly social obligation, gifts, and verbal debts. Such systems work when the groups are very, very small and communities can enforce debts and obligations through social pressure. As the other poster said more succinctly: social credit.
After the domestication of animals, animals and plant products were used as money.