ERC-7683
ERC-7683 standardizes cross-chain asset transfers by creating a framework for expressing and fulfilling cross-chain intents. Proposed by researchers from Across and Uniswap, this standard enables users to seamlessly perform operations across different blockchains through a unified protocol.
Core Components
Intents vs Orders
In ERC-7683, "intent" refers to a user's desire to transfer assets across chains without needing to understand the technical complexities. Users specify what outcome they want, not how to achieve it. The standard uses both terms "intent" and "order" somewhat interchangeably in practice.
Settler Contracts
The standard defines two types of settler contracts:
Origin Settler: Deployed on the source chain, it handles intent submission, asset escrow, and event emission
Destination Settler: Deployed on the target chain, it executes the necessary operations to complete the cross-chain transfer
Fillers
Fillers are third parties who monitor for cross-chain intent events and fulfill user requests in exchange for fees. They:
Front the necessary assets on destination chains
Execute the required transactions
Collect fees for their services
Order Types and Structure
Gasless Cross-Chain Orders
These orders allow users to initiate cross-chain transfers without paying gas on the origin chain:
Users create and sign orders off-chain
Relayers submit these signed orders to the origin chain
Includes user address, nonce, deadlines, and custom order data
Useful for users without native tokens for gas fees
Onchain Cross-Chain Orders
These orders are submitted directly by users to the blockchain:
Simpler structure as user context is available from the transaction
Doesn't require separate signatures
Includes only necessary fields like deadlines and order data
Resolved Cross-Chain Orders
When a user's order is processed by the Origin Settler, it gets transformed into a Resolved Cross-Chain Order that contains:
User and chain information
Order deadlines and unique identifier
Maximum assets to be spent (maxSpent)
Minimum assets to be received (minReceived)
Fill instructions for the destination chain
The fill instructions specify exactly what actions need to be performed on the destination chain. Each instruction includes:
The target destination chain ID
The destination settler contract address
Origin data to be passed to the destination settler
These fill instructions enable fillers to understand exactly what operations they need to perform on the destination chain to complete the user's intent, whether it's a simple asset transfer or a more complex interaction with DeFi protocols.
Non-EVM Compatibility
ERC-7683 was designed with future non-EVM chain compatibility in mind:
This design choice allows for compatibility with non-EVM chains that may have different address formats
Rather than trying to create an overly complex standard that covers all possible chain types, ERC-7683 focuses on EVM chains while enabling future "sibling standards" for non-EVM chains
These complementary standards can then work together through common interfaces and data structures, enabling truly cross-chain intents across the entire blockchain ecosystem
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