Intent-Based Trading
Traditional transactions tell the blockchain how to execute. Intents tell solvers what you want — and let them compete for the best execution.
Intents vs Transactions
The fundamental shift in how users interact with DeFi
Traditional Transaction
- User specifies exact calldata
- Routed through a single DEX
- Exposed to MEV (front-running, sandwich)
- User pays gas directly
- Fails if slippage exceeded
Intent-Based Order
- User signs desired outcome off-chain
- Solvers find optimal route across all venues
- MEV captured for the user, not extractors
- Solver pays gas; user gets net-of-fee price
- Solver guarantees execution or doesn't bid
How Intent Settlement Works
Watch the lifecycle of an intent from submission to on-chain settlement
1
Sign Intent
User signs off-chain message declaring desired trade
2
Solver Auction
Competing solvers bid to fulfill the order
3
Route Finding
Winner routes across DEXs, aggregators, private liquidity
4
Settlement
Solver executes on-chain; user receives tokens
MEV Protection Comparison
Intents dramatically reduce value lost to MEV. Adjust trade size to see the difference.
Traditional MEV Loss
$125
Intent-Based MEV Loss
$8
Savings
$117
Improvement
93.6%
Explore Intent Protocols
CoW Protocol
Batch auctions, coincidence of wants, and surplus-capturing solver competition
UniswapX
Dutch auction pricing, cross-chain intents, and filler competition for MEV protection
Key Concepts Glossary
Solver
An off-chain agent that competes to fill user intents with the best price. Solvers stake bonds and are slashed for misbehavior.
Coincidence of Wants (CoW)
When two users want opposite sides of the same trade, they can be matched directly — zero slippage, zero LP fees.
Dutch Auction
Price starts favorable to the user and decays over time until a filler accepts. This ensures competitive pricing through time-based discovery.
Surplus
The difference between the user's limit price and the execution price. Intent protocols compete to maximize surplus returned to users.
Order Flow Auction
The mechanism by which solvers bid for the right to execute user orders. Competition among solvers drives better prices for users.
Gasless Trading
Users sign off-chain messages (EIP-712) instead of submitting transactions. The solver pays gas and recoups it from trade surplus.
Why intents matter: In 2024, intent-based protocols processed over $50B in volume. By shifting execution responsibility from users to professional solvers, intents deliver better prices, MEV protection, and gasless UX — fundamentally changing how users interact with DeFi.