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Cross-chain swaps with NEAR Intents through SwapKit

Intent-based cross-chain transactions with AI-powered optimization and ultra-competitive fees

Overview

NEAR Intents is a multichain transaction protocol where users specify desired outcomes and let third parties compete to provide the best solution. Instead of manually navigating complex DeFi operations, users express what they want while specialized services handle the execution, reducing complexity, execution risk, and user friction.

Through SwapKit, developers can leverage NEAR Intents alongside THORChain, Maya Protocol, and Chainflip — enabling AI-powered routing optimization and automatic fallback across the broadest cross-chain coverage available.

Supported Chains

NEAR Intents supports native asset swaps across 20+ chains, including:

Layer 1 Networks:

  • Bitcoin (BTC) – Native Bitcoin support
  • Ethereum (ETH) – Plus major ERC-20 tokens
  • Solana (SOL) – Native Solana and SPL tokens
  • NEAR Protocol (NEAR) – Native integration
  • Ripple (XRP) – Direct XRP swaps
  • Dogecoin (DOGE) – Native DOGE support
  • Zcash (ZEC) – Recently integrated with zero fees

EVM Layer 2s & Sidechains:

  • Arbitrum – Ethereum Layer 2
  • Base – Coinbase’s Layer 2
  • Polygon (POL) – Low-cost scaling solution
  • BNB Smart Chain – Binance ecosystem
  • Avalanche (AVAX) – High-throughput network
  • Optimism – Ethereum Layer 2
  • Aurora – NEAR’s EVM Layer

Additional Networks:

  • Sui – Recently integrated, enabling swaps across 20+ chains into Sui in seconds
  • Gnosis Chain – Decentralized infrastructure
  • TRON (TRX) – Including TRC-20 tokens

Protocol Fees

NEAR Intents uses an ultra-competitive fee structure:

Base Protocol Fee

  • Standard Rate: 1 basis point (0.01%)
  • Market competitive: Among the lowest fees in cross-chain DeFi
  • Transparent pricing: No hidden fees or surprise charges

Special Promotions

  • Zero fee campaigns: Currently offering zero fees for many trading pairs
  • Market maker competition: Competitive execution through solver networks
  • Dynamic optimization: AI-powered routing for best execution

Network Costs

  • Gas abstraction: Users only need gas on source chain
  • Destination fees included: No additional network fees required
  • Efficient execution: Optimized for minimal transaction costs

Ultra-Low Fees: At just 1bps base fee plus competitive market maker spreads, NEAR Intents offers some of the most cost-effective cross-chain trading available

Example: BTC → SOL Swap via SwapKit

import { SwapKitApi } from "@swapkit/api";

// Get NEAR Intents quote
const quotes = await SwapKitApi.getQuote({
  sellAsset: "BTC.BTC",
  buyAsset: "SOL.SOL",
  sellAmount: "1000000", // 0.01 BTC in satoshis
  providers: ["NEAR_INTENTS"]
});

const nearIntentsQuote = quotes[0];
console.log({
  expectedOutput: nearIntentsQuote.expectedOutput,
  protocolFee: nearIntentsQuote.fees.protocol,
  marketMakerSpread: nearIntentsQuote.fees.spread,
  totalFees: nearIntentsQuote.fees.total,
  estimatedTime: nearIntentsQuote.timeEstimate,
  aiOptimized: nearIntentsQuote.aiPowered
});

// Execute the intent-based swap
const result = await SwapKitApi.executeSwap({
  route: nearIntentsQuote,
  userAddress: "your-btc-address"
});

Benefits of Using NEAR Intents via SwapKit

  • 🤖 AI-Powered Optimization
    • NEAR Intents introduces AI-powered transaction optimization, automatically finding the best execution paths across multiple liquidity sources.
  • 💰 Ultra-Competitive Pricing
    • 1bps base protocol fee makes NEAR Intents one of the most cost-effective cross-chain solutions available.
  • 🌐 Broadest Chain Coverage
    • With 15+ chains supported, NEAR Intents provides access to more networks than any other single provider.
  • ⚡ Intent-Based UX
    • Users express desired outcomes without specifying technical details – the system handles complex routing automatically.
  • 🔄 Unified Integration
    • Same SwapKit API structure as other providers, enabling seamless multi-provider routing and optimization.
  • 🎯 Solver Competition
    • Market makers compete to provide optimal solutions, ensuring users get the best possible execution.

Recent NEAR Intents Developments

  • Zcash Integration
    • Zcash has been fully integrated, enabling seamless trades between ZEC and BTC, XRP, ETH, NEAR, SOL, and more—currently with zero fees.
  • Sui Ecosystem Integration
    • NEAR Intents integration brings lightning-fast cross-chain swaps to Sui, allowing anyone to swap assets across 20+ chains into Sui in seconds.
  • KyberSwap Partnership
    • KyberSwap integrated NEAR Intents for cross-chain DeFi, opening seamless access to BTC, DOGE, USDC, USDT and more.
  • Chain Abstraction Framework
    • NEAR Intents is a core component of NEAR’s chain abstraction framework, creating seamless cross-chain experiences.

NEAR Intents vs Other Protocols

Feature NEAR Intents THORChain Maya Protocol Chainflip
Protocol Fee 1bps 5-50bps 10-20bps 1-10bps
Bitcoin Support ✅ Native ✅ Native + Taproot ✅ Native + Taproot+ ✅ Native
Execution Model ✅ AI-powered intents AMM liquidity AMM liquidity Validator-based
User Experience ✅ Intent-based (simplified) Manual parameters Manual parameters Manual parameters
Chain Coverage ✅ 15+ chains 11 chains 8 chains 4 chains
Fee Predictability ✅ Ultra-low (1bps) Variable (wide range) Predictable (narrow) Competitive
Special Features AI optimization, zero-fee campaigns Streaming swaps Privacy focus CEX-competitive

Real-World Integrations

Production Deployments:

  • KyberSwap – Major DEX aggregator with NEAR Intents integration
  • SwapKit Ecosystem – Powering cross-chain swaps across multiple wallets and applications
  • Sui Ecosystem – Enabling seamless asset swaps into Sui from 20+ chains
  • Enterprise Solutions – Various DeFi protocols leveraging intent-based execution

Intent-Based Architecture

How NEAR Intents Work

  1. User Intent Expression: Users specify desired outcomes (e.g., “swap BTC for SOL at best price”)
  2. Solver Competition: Multiple market makers compete to fulfill the intent
  3. AI Optimization: System selects optimal execution path using AI algorithms
  4. Atomic Execution: Transaction completes atomically with guaranteed outcomes

Technical Advantages

  • Simplified UX: No manual DEX navigation or slippage management
  • Better Execution: Competition among solvers improves pricing
  • Reduced MEV: Intent-based design minimizes extractable value
  • Cross-Chain Native: Built for multi-chain from the ground up

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do NEAR Intents differ from traditional AMM swaps?

NEAR Intents use an intent-based model where users express desired outcomes and market makers compete to provide solutions, rather than directly interacting with AMM pools.

Q: Why choose NEAR Intents over other providers?

NEAR Intents offers the broadest chain coverage (15+), ultra-low fees (1bps), AI-powered optimization, and the simplest user experience through intent-based transactions.

Q: Does SwapKit add markup to NEAR Intents fees?

No. SwapKit passes through NEAR Intents’ native 1bps fee structure transparently with no additional markup.

Q: What happens if no solver can fulfill my intent?

SwapKit automatically detects when NEAR Intents cannot fulfill an order and routes through THORChain, Maya Protocol, or Chainflip as backup options.

Q: How does AI optimization work?

NEAR Intents uses AI algorithms to analyze multiple execution paths, liquidity sources, and market conditions to find the optimal route for each transaction.

Integration Resources

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