How Do Intent Protocols work?

Learn what an "Intent" is and how SEDA eliminates the need for trust between parties.

Chain abstraction frameworks and intent-based bridge protocols rely on a handshake between solvers (or market makers) and the user that is defined in code to remove the need for trust between parties. An intent is a set of instructions that are issued by a user for execution by a solver. Once an intent has been issued and filled, oracles, like SEDA, are used to verify the chain state of a network. This chain state verification ensures that the data from a network can be used in a trustless and permissionless manner to finalize the intent transaction. Third party protocols like One Balance, Particle Network, Socket, are examples of networks that power intent execution. An example of a bridge transaction could look like the following: User Intent:

I want 100 USDC on Solana, and I'm willing to pay 100 USDC on Ethereum, plus a small fee for settlement.

Message: (simplified for a non-technical reader) OriginChain: Ethereum OriginAddress: 0x...1234 Token: USDC TokenAmount: 100 TargetChain: Solana TargetChainAddress: jY...5678 SettlementFee: $0.05

The user would submit this message to a third-party intent protocol, which is monitored by solvers for activity. A race is now kicked off in which solvers work to accept and fulfill the user's intent. In order to remove trust, the user’s funds are placed in escrow by the intent protocol, to be made available to the solver following execution.

Once the solver has filled the user’s intent on the destination chain, a verification and settlement process is kicked off. This process requires an oracle to verify the chain state on the target network to process settlement. Below is a simplified, non-technical overview of the lifespan of an intent.

Once an intent has been settled by a third-party provider, a data request is triggered and forwarded to the SEDA Network. The chain state from the network is then verified and forwarded back to the chain abstraction protocol where it can finalize the intent and resource escrow.

To learn more about how SEDA is powering resource unlocks at scale for intent protocols and chain abstraction, please check out this section next.