What role did cacao play in trade among some Central American and northern Andean peoples?

Among various Central American and northern Andean peoples, cacao beans played a significant role as a form of currency in trade.12

While the cacao tree was likely domesticated in the upper Amazon region and spread northward, it became a vital commodity for civilizations such as the Maya, Toltec, and Aztec. Beyond its use as a medium of exchange, these cultures valued the beans for preparing ceremonial and social beverages, with the Maya regarding the tree as sacred and the Aztec reserving cocoa-based drinks for their emperor and aristocracy.12