Bankless

Why Every Chain, Wallet & App Is Integrating NEAR Intents | Kendall Cole

56 min

Kendall Cole, co-founder of Proximity Labs, discusses how NEAR Intents is solving crypto's fragmentation problem by creating a unified, non-custodial layer that connects 35+ blockchains. The conversation explores the explosion of stablecoins and tokenized assets, how regulatory changes like MiCA are driving users on-chain, and why NEAR.com is emerging as a 'super app' that abstracts away chains entirely. Key themes include the value of privacy through confidential intents, the shift from chain-focused to asset-focused user experiences, and how NEAR captures value through volume-based fees.

Summarized by Podsumo

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✨ Key Takeaways

1

NEAR Intents now connects 35+ blockchains, with the goal of making users forget they're on chains at all—focusing purely on assets
2

The protocol captures value through small fees (10-20 basis points) on every swap, with the treasury buying back NEAR tokens
3

Confidential intents launched on July 7, allowing private transactions across all supported chains using a trusted execution environment
4

MiCA regulations in Europe created a gap for compliant on-ramps like Monerium, which NEAR Intents integrates to let users access global assets
5

The next explosion of assets will come from tokenized RWAs (like Robinhood Chain stocks) and AI agent trading, both of which NEAR Intents is positioning to support

💬 Notable Quotes

"The goal is to make it forget that you're on chains at all. It's just these really simple experiences that feel more like Robinhood than a typical crypto experience."

— Kendall Cole
"Privacy isn't just for cypherpunks; enterprises need it too. If I'm moving assets around, that's extremely sensitive commercial information."

— Kendall Cole
"Every business model in crypto is just being an exchange. NEAR is the platform for apps and chains to exchange any asset with any other asset."

— David (Host)