NEAR Intents

About NEAR Intents

NEAR Intents is a decentralized trading protocol developed on the NEAR blockchain that facilitates multichain spot trading through intent-based architecture. Rather than relying on centralized order books or custodial asset management, NEAR Intents enables users to express trade intentions that are fulfilled by market makers who provide liquidity.

The protocol is designed to serve as an infrastructure layer for decentralized finance applications—referred to as distribution channels—that onboard users interested in spot trading. These applications integrate with NEAR Intents to access a growing ecosystem of liquidity providers and intent settlement tools, eliminating the need for direct exchange interfaces or asset custody.

At the core of the system is a mechanism called Intent Settlement, which facilitates the execution of trades through a novel off-chain communication and on-chain validation process. When a user expresses an intent to trade, t