Bankless
Why Every Chain, Wallet & App Is Integrating NEAR Intents | Kendall Cole
- Chain abstraction vision: NEAR Intents connects 35+ blockchains to let users think in terms of assets, not infrastructure. The goal is to make blockchain chains invisible entirely, delivering a seamless "one app across chains" experience.
- Stable coin proliferation: Major branded stablecoins (USDT, USDC) will dominate by network effect and liquidity, while many institutions will issue their own stablecoins—not as independent brands, but as backend accounting tools.
- RWA and tokenized asset explosion: Real-world assets (tokenized stocks, bonds, commodities) are becoming the primary growth driver for NEAR Intents, replacing meme coins as the asset class that requires cross-chain integration.
- MiCA regulatory response: EU regulation forced Binance and Bybit offline, creating a market gap. Non-custodial products like NEAR Intents and regulated Eurostablecoins (e.g., Eure from Manarium) are filling the void, proving decentralized infrastructure can bypass regulatory friction.
- Confidential Intents launch: NEAR rolled out privacy-preserving trading across 35+ chains via trusted execution environments (TEEs) on validator shards. Privacy is now default; transactions and balances remain hidden unless users explicitly share viewing keys or comply with court orders.
- Fee capture model: NEAR captures value through a cut of swap volume flowing through NEAR Intents (10–20 basis points). The Near Foundation's House of Stake uses accumulated fees for NEAR token buybacks, aligning incentives with increasing transaction volume.