Chain Abstraction on NEAR

The idea in one minute
Most crypto apps make you choose a network, switch wallets, bridge tokens, and approve many steps. Chain abstraction hides that work. You say what you want to do. The system figures out the path across chains and does it for you. On NEAR, this is powered by Intents, Chain Signatures, and the OmniBridge.

What you feel as a user

One account that works across many chains

No network switching

One clear screen, one confirmation

You ask for a result like “swap A to B at the best price” and get it

The building blocks
1) Intents
You describe the goal, not the steps. Solvers compete to fulfill your request and give you a quote. You confirm once. They execute across one or more chains.

2) Chain Signatures
NEAR accounts and smart contracts can securely sign on other chains using a decentralized MPC network. This lets apps act on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more from one place.

3) OmniBridge
A multi-chain bridge that uses Chain Signatures and chain-specific checks. It moves assets quickly and safely between ecosystems.

Simple example
Without chain abstraction you would bridge, pick venues, approve tokens, and manage fees. With NEAR Intents you submit “swap A to B at the best price,” review the quote, and approve once. The system routes, bridges, and settles in the background.

Why it matters
For users: simple, consistent experience across networks and tokens.For builders: one integration that reaches many chains so you can focus on product.

Key terms

Intent: a request that states the desired result

Solver: a service or agent that fulfills an intent

MPC: multi-party computation used for secure, shared signing

Takeaway
NEAR’s chain abstraction removes chain-level friction. You keep one account, state the goal, and the network handles the steps with Intents, Chain Signatures, and the OmniBridge.