The Intent mechanism has become popular, but it hides new types of monopoly traps.

What is the most talked-about term in the Blockchain world recently? Intent. Simply put: users do not need to specify how to operate on-chain, they just need to express their final goal, and leave the rest to the “solver” to handle.

Why is it only popular now?

BTC, ETH, various Layer-2/3, cross-chain bridging… The blockchain has become so complex that ordinary users can't wrap their heads around it. There could be countless transaction paths, and manually specifying each step is too exhausting.

Intent is like when you order a taxi; you just need to tell the driver, “I want to go to the city center,” without needing to give detailed directions. The system will automatically find the best route.

How does it work?

1. The user publishes an intent (for example, “exchange USDC for the cheapest XYZ asset”)
2. The Intent broadcasts in the “Discovery Pool” for solvers to bid.
3. Multiple solvers compete for orders, the one with the optimal price wins.
4. Users can win effortlessly, and solvers earn fees.

Anoma, Flashbots' SUAVE, and CoW Swap are all playing this game. Sounds like the swap feature of an exchange? It's somewhat similar, but the difference is that these new protocols are trying to decentralize the solver network, theoretically avoiding the monopoly of a single intermediary.

But there are pitfalls buried here

Imagine a scenario: You take a taxi in an unfamiliar city, and the driver takes you on a big detour, driving fast inside and out. The solver in the intent system can play this way too—claiming to give you the best price, while secretly profiting from the price difference.

Although most intent protocols have constraint mechanisms (similar to Uber's transparent pricing), the real risk lies in the emergence of new monopolies:

• A major exchange may build its own solver network, monopolizing the “buy/sell” business.
• First, use low-cost subsidies to eliminate competitors.
• Raise the price only after the market is consumed.

Paradigm's research has warned about this—if mismanaged, intent systems could instead accelerate intermediaries taking the lead, shifting user activities from public memory pools to private mempools.

Summary

The UX of Intent is indeed appealing, saving gas and finding the optimal route. But the premise is: don't let new technology become a tool for new monopolies. This requires ecosystem players to remain vigilant.