Encyclopedia DeFi · Entry 329
Intent-based swaps: authorizing an outcome for solvers to execute
In this article
At a glance
Key facts
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Outcome | Signed orders constrain what assets and amounts may be exchanged. | [3] |
| Execution | Fillers can use their inventory or external liquidity. | [3] |
| Rules | CoW distinguishes contract-enforced limits from other competition rules. | [2] |
Delegate the route, not an unlimited objective
An illustrative intent might authorize selling 100 A for at least 98 B before a deadline. The executor could source B from a pool or its own inventory, but the settlement must respect the applicable order constraints. A vague request to get a good price is not an enforceable numeric limit.
Check the assets, recipient, validity and cancellation mechanism of the actual order being signed.
Gasless changes who submits the transaction
UniswapX describes fillers settling signed orders on-chain. A user may avoid submitting the swap transaction personally, while the executor still has execution costs and requires an economically viable opportunity. Compare the final net amounts rather than treating absence of a wallet gas prompt as absence of cost.
Distinguish the signature from the permission path
An intent needs a mechanism that can transfer the offered asset when conditions are met. The retrieved UniswapX description uses Permit2. Other protocols can use different approvals or settlement contracts.
Order validity does not itself guarantee a willing executor, timely inclusion or safe behavior in an arbitrary integration. Read which conditions are enforced in code and which depend on competition or governance.
Direct answers
Questions people ask
Is an intent guaranteed to fill because I signed it?
No. A signature authorizes a constrained action; it does not supply liquidity or oblige an executor to settle an uneconomic order.
Inspect the evidence
The answer and key facts have stable claim links. These records retain the scope and qualification when reused.
A swap intent specifies an acceptable outcome while leaving an executor to choose how to produce it. In CoW and UniswapX examples, users sign orders with constraints and solvers or fillers arrange settlement. The security question is which limits the authorized transfer path actually enforces—not whether the interface calls the action gasless.
Scope: DeFi · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T19:18:00.092Z.
Link to this claimOutcome: Signed orders constrain what assets and amounts may be exchanged.
Scope: DeFi · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T19:18:00.092Z.
Link to this claimExecution: Fillers can use their inventory or external liquidity.
Scope: DeFi · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T19:18:00.092Z.
Link to this claimRules: CoW distinguishes contract-enforced limits from other competition rules.
Scope: DeFi · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T19:18:00.092Z.
Link to this claimRevision history
- — First publication after primary-source research and separate automated verification.
Source register
Sources and references
Retrieval dates and locators are recorded individually.- CoW ProtocolCoW Protocol
How solvers source and settle batches.
Locator: Intents; batch auctions; solvers; liquidity sources · Version / scope: Documentation retrieved for the 2026-10-02 editorial scope; content hash recorded · Retrieved: 2026-10-02T18:53:20.051ZOpen source - Solver competition rulesCoW Protocol
Current solution-level constraints, without asserting one global price across all auction winners.
Locator: Uniform directed clearing prices; valid solutions · Version / scope: Documentation retrieved for the 2026-10-02 editorial scope; content hash recorded · Retrieved: 2026-10-02T18:53:20.066ZOpen source - UniswapX OverviewUniswap
Outcome-based swap authorization and filler settlement.
Locator: Signed orders; fillers; auctions · Version / scope: Documentation retrieved for the 2026-10-02 editorial scope; content hash recorded · Retrieved: 2026-10-02T18:53:19.990ZOpen source
Research and drafting use AI assistance. A separate automated review checks claims against primary sources; no external expert or named human review is implied. Publication, substantive editing, source retrieval and verification are recorded separately. This version was independently checked by an automated reviewer on 2 October 2026.
Editorial method and correctionsDegrees of Satoshi editorial project. “Intent-based swaps: authorizing an outcome for solvers to execute.” Published 2026-10-02; updated 2026-10-02. https://degreesofsatoshi.com/encyclopedia/intent-based-swaps/