Across Developer DocumentationWhat are Crosschain Intents?
How intent-based bridging differs from traditional bridges and why it matters.
An intent is an order where users declare a desired outcome rather than specifying the execution steps. Traditional bridges require users to specify the exact path: lock tokens here, mint tokens there, wait for finality. Intents flip this model — users say "I want 100 USDC on Base" and a competitive network of solvers figures out the best way to make it happen.
Across specializes exclusively in crosschain intents — outcomes that span multiple blockchains.
Intents vs. Traditional Bridges
| Traditional Bridge | Intent-Based (Across) | |
|---|---|---|
| User specifies | Exact execution path | Desired outcome |
| Execution | Protocol-defined, single path | Solver-optimized, flexible |
| Speed | Minutes to days (finality-bound) | ~2 seconds (solver-fronted) |
| Complexity | User bears routing complexity | Solver bears complexity |
| Capital model | Lock-and-mint or liquidity pools | Competitive solver capital |
Three Phases of Crosschain Intents
Across's intent model has evolved through three phases since 2021:
Phase 1 — Same-Asset Transfer (2021)
The foundational use case. A user's intent specifies moving the same asset from Chain A to Chain B. For example: "Send my USDC from Arbitrum to Base."
This has been Across's core offering since launch.
Phase 2 — Transfer + Execution
A user's intent specifies moving an asset from Chain A to Chain B and then executing a transaction on Chain B. For example: "Bridge my USDC to Ethereum and deposit it into Aave."
This is enabled through embedded crosschain actions — instructions attached to the intent that execute on the destination chain after the fill.
Phase 3 — Swap + Execution
A user's intent specifies swapping asset X on Chain A for a minimum amount of asset Y on Chain B, optionally followed by a transaction on Chain B. For example: "Swap my ETH on Arbitrum for at least 2000 USDC on Base and transfer it to a specific address."
This is the current state, powered by Across Settlement infrastructure.
Why Intents Win
For users: No need to understand bridges, finality, or routing. Declare the outcome and get it in ~2 seconds.
For developers: A single API call handles all the complexity. No need to integrate multiple bridges or manage routing logic.
For solvers/relayers: A competitive marketplace where speed and capital efficiency determine profits.
ERC-7683: Standardizing Intents
Across is developing ERC-7683, a crosschain intent order standard that defines a unified format for how intents are submitted, bid on, escrowed, and settled. The goal is to make crosschain intents interoperable across the ecosystem — any solver network can fill any standardized intent.
See ERC-7683 in Production for implementation details.