NEAR Intents

NEAR Intents is an intent-centric infrastructure developed on the NEAR Protocol. It is designed to simplify Web3 interactions by allowing users to specify high-level objectives, referred to as intents, rather than constructing low-level transactions directly. This approach abstracts technical complexity and provides a structured pathway for executing decentralized operations, powering one-click cross-chain swaps and unified liquidity across multiple networks as a universal liquidity protocol.^{[1][4][8][20]}

Overview

NEAR Intents replaces traditional transaction signing workflows with a model based on intent declarations. Instead of managing the detailed aspects of wallets, gas fees, and smart contract calls, a user’s expressed intent (for example, to exchange one token for another) is processed by off-chain solvers. These solvers interpret the intent and generate the corresponding transactions for on-chain execution.

NEAR Intents was introduced in November 2024 and announced at ETHDenver 2025 as a core component of the Chain Abstraction initiative, aiming to eliminate complexity for multichain interactions. Users or AI agents define their desired outcomes (intents), and a network of solvers handles the execution across various chains, markets, or APIs. The protocol powers one-click cross-chain swaps, unified liquidity, and universal execution for onchain markets, operating as a universal liquidity layer across more than 30 chains and over 100 supported assets.^{[1][2][8][20]}

The system provides a model that is both permissionless and composable. It supports integration across multiple use cases, including decentralized finance (DeFi), gaming, governance, and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). The framework is considered an integral component of the broader chain abstraction strategy associated with the NEAR Protocol.^{[1][2][4][5][9]}

Within this chain abstraction roadmap, NEAR Intents functions as an ongoing foundation for simplifying cross-chain user experiences, with continued work on expanding cross-chain intents and universal liquidity, developing open marketplaces for solvers, deepening integrations with wallets and onboarding platforms, and extending developer tooling and standards for composing intents.^[1][3][5][9]

History

The concept of NEAR Intents emerged in 2023 as part of an initiative to enhance the accessibility of Web3. The project was introduced by the NEAR Foundation in collaboration with the ZK-powered solver marketplace, Zingo Labs. Initial deployments focused on standard use cases, such as token exchanges and non-fungible token (NFT) purchases, by abstracting wallet management and simplifying on-chain operations.^[3][9]

In 2024, NEAR Intents expanded its adoption within the ecosystem with additional integrations into the Blockchain Operating System (BOS) frontends and various third-party platforms. These developments increased interoperability and positioned NEAR Intents as a component utilized in several pilot decentralized applications (dApps) and user flows.^[3][6][7]

Technology

Core Concepts

NEAR Intents was founded by NEAR Protocol on the concept of intent specification. Rather than providing detailed, step-by-step instructions, users declare their desired outcomes. These declarations, expressed typically as structured JSON objects, are processed off-chain by entities known as solvers. Solvers are responsible for constructing valid on-chain transactions based on the provided intents by leveraging available smart contract logic, on-chain liquidity, and external data sources.^[1][5][2]

Components

• Intent: A structured representation, commonly in JSON format, outlining the user's intended outcome. Intents are high-level specifications of desired outcomes and can be posted on-chain, off-chain, or via direct peer-to-peer communication. Examples include Asset swaps, Token transfers, NFT or MT withdrawals, and Fiat conversions.^[1][5][2]
• Solver: An off-chain agent that interprets the intent, assembles appropriate transactions, and facilitates their execution on-chain. Also known as Market Makers, solvers monitor intents, calculate strategies, compete for quotes to fulfill the intent in the most optimal way, and execute transactions using the verifier smart contract. They are responsible for managing liquidity needed to fulfill intents.^[1][5][8][2]
• Verifier Smart Contract: A smart contract deployed on NEAR Protocol that verifies and settles all transactions resulting from an intent. This contract ensures the integrity of the execution and handles dispute resolution if necessary.^[1][5]
• Authorization Layer: Protocol mechanisms, such as session keys or delegated access, which allow solvers to operate on behalf of users in a controlled and secure manner.^[1]

Protocol Design

NEAR Intents operates on a modular architecture that separates the definition of user intent, the logic contained in solvers, and the process of executing transactions. The design supports composability, enabling various solvers or services to integrate and specialize in distinct operational domains such as financial transactions or identity management.^[1][2][3]

The protocol incorporates three fundamental properties:

• Permissionless: The creation of intents and registration of solvers are open to all participants.^[1]
• Composable: Intents can be structured in chains or nested configurations to implement more complex workflows.^[1]
• Interoperable: The protocol underpins live cross-chain intents and unified liquidity, operating across more than 30 chains and over 100 assets, and is designed to extend support to additional multichain environments through chain abstraction frameworks.^{[1][8][2][3][4][5][9][20]}

Process Flow

The NEAR Intents protocol follows a defined process from the initial declaration of a user's desired outcome to the final settlement and potential dispute resolution.

• Intent Creation: A user or agent broadcasts an intent via an application, on-chain transaction, or API call.
• Solver Discovery: Solvers detect the new intent, analyze requirements, and return proposed quotes.
• User Selection: The user selects one quote and commits to it via an on-chain signature.
• Execution: The solver fulfills the request, potentially across multiple blockchains.
• Settlement: The verifier contract finalizes the transaction, and solvers rebalance liquidity.
• Dispute Resolution: Built-in mechanisms allow for handling execution failures or conflicts. This multi-step process allows users to express high-level goals while off-chain solvers handle the complex execution details.^{[2][5][13][14]}

Supported Intent Types (as of Q1 2025)

As of the first quarter of 2025, the NEAR Intents protocol supported several types of user intentions, enabling a range of decentralized operations.

• Swap Intents
• Transfer Intents
• FT Withdraw Intents
• NFT Withdraw Intents
• MT Withdraw Intents
• Native Token Withdrawals These supported types allow users to perform actions such as exchanging tokens, moving assets, and withdrawing various token standards, including fungible tokens (FTs), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and multi-tokens (MTs), as well as native chain assets.^{[2][18][13][14]}

Integration and APIs

To facilitate integration and provide access to the NEAR Intents system, several APIs and tools are available for developers and users.

• 1Click Swap API: A REST API allowing fast integration of NEAR Intents into apps and wallets by abstracting the backend complexity.
• Intents Explorer API: A public API for tracking and analyzing historical intents and transaction statuses. These APIs enable developers to easily incorporate intent-based functionality into their applications and provide transparency into the activity occurring within the NEAR Intents protocol.^[15][16][17]

NEAR Shade Agents

Shade Agents are autonomous agents that combine smart contracts, Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), and Chain Signatures to securely and verifiably transact across blockchains. They are capable of:

• Signing transactions on any chain
• Custodying and trading crypto assets
• Accessing off-chain AI models, APIs, and data
• Preserving privacy via TEE-based computation^[10]

Technologies Involved

NEAR Intents and the broader NEAR AI agent ecosystem leverage several key technologies to enable autonomous, multichain operations and outcome-driven transactions.

• Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs): Used by worker agents within the Shade Agent stack, which powers some applications leveraging Intents. TEEs provide a secure hardware enclave for agents to securely access off-chain data and execute decisions while preserving privacy and integrity.^[10][11]
• Chain Signatures: A core component enabling NEAR accounts, including smart contracts and AI agents, to sign and execute transactions directly on other blockchain protocols like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. This technology facilitates multichain interactions and decentralized key management, crucial for cross-chain trading and asset management within the Intents framework.^{[10][11][12][8]}
• Kaito API: Provides real-time market sentiment data, specifically "token mindshare" metrics gathered from various online platforms. This data source is utilized by AI agents, such as the Mindshare Index Agent, to inform trading decisions and strategy execution via Intents.^[11]
• Large Language Models (LLMs): Serve as the AI "brain" for agents operating within the ecosystem. LLMs process and analyze complex data inputs, interpret context, gauge sentiment, and predict outcomes, enabling agents to make sophisticated decisions and formulate strategies that are then executed through the NEAR Intents protocol.^[10][11]

Use Cases

NEAR Intents is applicable in a range of scenarios:

• Token Exchanges: Facilitates the execution of token swaps without necessitating direct engagement with decentralized exchange interfaces.
• User Onboarding: Provides a structured process for new users to acquire crypto assets or interact with dApps without managing seed phrases or wallets.
• DAO Operations: Supports the automation of processes such as proposal submission, voting, and funding within decentralized autonomous organizations.
• Gaming: Enables secure in-game asset exchanges and quest completions without requiring detailed management of blockchain transactions.
• Cross-Chain Functionality: Supports activities that involve transferring tokens or managing positions across multiple blockchain networks through chain abstraction.

Ecosystem

NEAR Intents has been integrated into various projects and decentralized applications within the NEAR ecosystem. Key contributions have originated from the NEAR Foundation and Zingo Labs, with additional support from community participants. The integration of NEAR Intents into the BOS further enhances the user interface for interacting with decentralized applications.^[9]

The protocol's adoption has led to significant growth, positioning it as a unified liquidity layer for cross-chain DeFi. On November 16, 2025, it was announced that NEAR Intents had surpassed $5 billion in all-time transaction volume. By late 2026, the system reported more than $25 billion in all-time volume across over 30 chains, reflecting expanded support for 100+ assets and broader integration into cross-chain markets. Performance metrics, including transaction success rates and solver efficiency, are monitored by data tracking platforms like Flipside Crypto and Dune Analytics.^{[19][6][7][20]}

NEAR Intents belongs to a broader movement toward intent-based user experiences in Web3. Similar in concept to models such as Ethereum’s account abstraction and Cosmos’s interchain accounts, NEAR Intents distinguishes itself through its focus on chain abstraction and support for full-stack developer tooling. Its framework allows for customizable authorization and modular intent declarations, positioning it as a versatile solution within the decentralized landscape. dApps and protocols such as Frax Finance, Idea Finance, Sailor Send, Delta Trade, Bitte, and SwapKit integrate NEAR Intents to access unified cross-chain liquidity and execution through a single interface.^[20]

Security Incident - October 2026

On October 1, 2026, NEAR Intents suffered a security exploit that resulted in an estimated loss of approximately $3.8 million after a bug in how the Omni deposit and withdrawal infrastructure, also referred to as the HOT Bridge, interacted with the NEAR Intents smart contract was abused.^[21]​^[22]​^[23]​^[25] NEAR Intents halted services and paused deposits and withdrawals on 11 networks, including BNB Chain, Polygon, TON, Optimism, Avalanche, Stellar, Monad, X Layer, ADI, Scroll, and Plasma, while infrastructure fixes were carried out, with the impact limited to the protocol’s cross-chain infrastructure rather than the underlying NEAR Protocol blockchain.^[21]​^[22]​^[24]

Core Intents services were expected to resume within about an hour of the patch, while deposits and withdrawals on those networks were expected to remain paused for roughly 12 more hours; other supported chains continued operating because NEAR Intents routes through several different bridges with distinct trust models.^[25] The team patched the contract-side vulnerability, pledged to fully compensate affected users, and reported the incident to law enforcement, while on-chain investigators traced the stolen funds from a BNB Chain hot wallet through KuCoin, where they were converted into bitcoin.^[21]​^[22]​^[23]​ The exploit and temporary halt to services occurred roughly a month and a half after NEAR Intents reported crossing about $25 billion in lifetime volume and coincided with market volatility for the NEAR token and Bitwise’s recently launched NEAR ETF (NRR).^[26]​

According to NEAR co-founder Illia Polosukhin, all funds from the $3.8 million exploit were returned in full within about one day, the investigation was closed, and SHIELD—the AI security layer on Intents—contributed to identifying the responsible party and recovering the funds.^[27] He presented this outcome as evidence of the role that AI-based security tooling can play in both early detection of suspicious activity and rapid resolution of protocol exploits.^[27]