Crypto glossary
Intents (intent-based architecture)
In an intent-based system, users sign the outcome they want, such as a minimum amount received, and competing solvers work out how to deliver it.
A normal transaction tells the blockchain exactly what to do: call this router with this path. An intent instead states a goal and its limits, for example swap 1,000 USDC for at least a certain amount of ETH on any chain before a deadline. The signed intent is broadcast to a network of solvers or fillers, who compete to fulfil it and settle the result on-chain, often paying the gas themselves.
Intents power CoW Protocol's batch auctions, UniswapX, 1inch Fusion and cross-chain systems like Across, and they underpin most chain abstraction efforts. Users get price competition, protection from some forms of MEV and gasless trading, while solvers can tap private liquidity and their own inventory. ERC-7683 standardises the format for cross-chain intents.
The trade-off is a new dependency on a small group of professional solvers, which can concentrate order flow and reduce competition. Auctions and settlement contracts must be secure, and a badly limited intent can still execute at a poor price. Intent is also a buzzword, applied to systems that are simply aggregators.
Example
A trader signs an intent to sell ETH for at least a minimum amount of USDC; three solvers bid, the best quote wins, and the trader pays no gas.