Across V3: Introducing the First Intents-Based Interoperability Protocol

Published in

across.to

6 min readFeb 22, 2024

Tl;dr: With the launch of Across V3, Across is stepping onto the stage as a intents-based interoperability platform for developers to offer world-class, Web2-grade UX to their users. V3 introduces new features such as: Across Settlement, which is the only production-ready, modular settlement layer for cross-chain intents and Across+, a chain abstraction tool that offers cross-chain bridge hooks for intents.

Across V3

Across V1 launched in October 2021 and V2 in June 2022, and over these years Across has achieved its goal to become the optimal bridging solution for end-users looking to move their funds cross-chain cheaply, safely, and quickly. The Across bridge stack is that user orders come through Across’ front-end and through aggregators, are filled by a network of 3rd party relayers, and are verified optimistically on mainnet to repay the relayers.

The launch of Across V3 unbundles those layers and exposes their interfaces to developers. We are introducing an intent order structure that can be used by developers easily to make their dApps natively interoperable. We define the modules of the intents architecture by making each layer explicit. This empowers dapp developers to create single-chain dApps that sleekly support cross-chain intents and eliminates UX friction.

Across V3 is the first intents-driven interoperability protocol and it will deliver a level of cross-chain UX that developers and their users demand as crypto enters a complex multichain economy.

Across V3 is a composable intents engine. Its component parts are 1) an RFQ mechanism into which intent-based orders flow 2) an ecosystem of third-party relayers with offchain liquidity and 3) a settlement system with optimistic verification. Modularizing these layers means that developers can plug into any layer in the stack depending on their needs.

Interoperable Dapps Without Tradeoffs: Across+

When a user finds their way to your Dapp’s UI we want you to keep them there, and not to send them switching tabs to do bridge diligence, which could make them lose their initial interest. Across+ allows you to create a Web2-like UX for your users and interact with your dapp as if those assets were on your home chain already.

How is this possible? Across+ uses cross-chain bridge hooks to access users and capital from other chains, eliminating the need for multichain deployment. Across+ uses an order standard that specifies a cross-chain limit order plus protocol action(s) to execute on destination. This can be executed with a single signature from your user.

Across has led the industry with intents-based bridging over the past two years. Finally, its winning infrastructure, along with third-party relayer network, is now open to developers. With a single wallet signature users can bridge, swap, and perform protocol actions such as to pool-and-stake liquidity, buy an NFT, or enter into a lending position.

Before Across+, developers have had to weigh difficult tradeoffs: To silo on one chain, deploy on multiple chains, or lock in with a proprietary standard. With the advent of Across’ intents-driven interoperability solution, these tradeoffs are no longer necessary.

Across’ own bridge performance has demonstrated just how powerful this model is, and this is why Across is the most consistently recommended bridge by aggregators.

I’m ready to to get all the users from every chain→

Across Settlement: The First Modular Cross-chain Intents Settlement Layer

In addition to Across+ described above, Across V3 exposes its settlement layer for other intents-driven order flow that follows a standard structure. It enables any DEX or application with RFQ order flow to offer best-execution cross-chain swaps from the most competitive network of professional market makers.

Across Settlement is the only protocol of its kind, capable of settling intents from anywhere. It does this efficiently by batching settlements into one, cost-saving message which can be verified optimistically. These same innovations that made Across outperform other bridges for two years can now be leveraged by any DEX or DeFi app.

Optimistic verification

One of the many reasons that intents architecture is powerful is because user orders are filled immediately, but they do not need to be settled immediately.

Slow settlement opens the door to optimistic verification as well as gives grants the ability to batch the settlements into a single message. Optimistic verification requires one honest actor watching to dispute a bad message, which is both secure and cheap. Decoupling delivery from settlement in this way relaxes the pressure on the speed/cost/security trilemma and saves cost and complexity both on messages and on security.

Across Bridge: Even Better Than Before

The Across V3 launch also includes optimizations for the Across Bridge. Fees are going to be even lower thanks to an improved system that allows the protocol to incentivize relayer repayments on chains where the bridge has an easier time getting liquidity. Pricing this cost more accurately will reduce costs to the liquidity management system overall.

The Across Bridge will also introduce RFQ cross-chain swaps and gasless swaps in the future.

Conclusion: No More Compromises on UX or Security

Across has been natively intents-based since its launch in 2021. During this time, Across has proven the intents-based interop thesis by outcompeting bridges using other technological paradigms. The launch of V3 is Across’s transition from a bridge to a full-service interoperability platform based on intents. This platform is made of Across+, Across Settlement, and the bridge you already love, Across Bridge.

With V3, we have defined the modules of the intents architecture so other protocols can build upon each one as needed for their case. This will allow the ecosystem to flourish by allowing dapp developers to launch single-chain dapps, while still getting access to users on any chain and without security tradeoffs.

Learn more about Across V3 and how you can launch your dapp the right way from the start→

Across Protocol is an intents-based interoperability protocol, capable of filling and settling cross-chain intents. It is made up of the Across Bridge, a powerfully efficient cross-chain transfer tool for end users, Across+, a chain abstraction tool that utilizes cross-chain bridge hooks to fulfill user intents and Across Settlement, a settlement layer for all cross-chain intent order flow. As the multichain economy continues to evolve, intents-based settlement is the key to solving interoperability and Across is at the core of its execution.