In 2024, there was a significant increase in on-chain activity, reflecting heightened user interest in blockchain technology. Nevertheless, challenges such as congestion, fragmentation, and the centralization of layer-2 solutions persist. With potential favorable regulations and growing institutional interest following Donald Trump’s inauguration, addressing these issues is vital for preparing for the anticipated surge in adoption. According to Messari's 2025 Annual Crypto Theses, intent-centric approaches are emerging as a transformative trend aimed at enhancing user accessibility and efficiency. Intents serve as declarative tools within decentralized networks, allowing users to express desired outcomes without detailing the methods to achieve them. This simplifies user interactions, mimicking the ease of web2 applications like Uber while benefiting from automation and AI without compromising privacy or decentralization. As a foundational element, intents are gaining traction within various AI applications. In the realm of decentralized finance (DeFi), intent-centric systems enable users to specify complex objectives, such as trading Ethereum (ETH) for USD Coin (USDC) at the best rate, without needing to manually adjust parameters like routing or gas fees. The system autonomously manages complex details such as liquidity pool optimization and execution paths, significantly enhancing user experience. Moreover, intent-centric infrastructure boosts scalability by shifting most computational tasks and data storage to user devices, alleviating congestion on primary networks like Ethereum. The rise in transaction fees in 2024 pushed many users away from on-chain actions, underscoring the demand for scalable solutions that lower costs and enhance blockchain interactions.

Additionally, generalized intents could reduce fragmentation across multiple chains, allowing users to achieve desired outcomes without navigating diverse protocols. The potential of intents lies in fostering the next wave of decentralized application (dApp) innovation. Current web3 applications represent a small fraction of user interactions due to the limitations of existing blockchain infrastructure, which usually requires step-by-step processes. Generalized intents offer a remedy by enabling dApps to exceed the complexity and user experience of web2 applications while adhering to web3 principles. For instance, a decentralized version of Discord could leverage complex permissions and privacy across various interfaces. In DeFi, generalized intents can catalyze the development of innovative applications that move beyond reliance on centralized systems. Fully decentralized, multi-dimensional order book decentralized exchanges (DEXs) exemplify this potential, allowing trades based on multiple dimensions beyond just price, such as time preferences or yield opportunities—all in a decentralized manner. To effectively transition web2 users to web3, it is crucial to provide an intuitive, user-friendly experience that doesn't require a deep understanding of blockchain technology. By facilitating seamless, automated interactions with robust privacy and data control, web3 can not only match but also surpass web2's conveniences. Generalized intents stand out as a solution, facilitating a smoother integration between web2 and web3 while emphasizing user focus on desired results. This approach aims to enhance usability without compromising the fundamental values of decentralization, resilience, verifiability, and user sovereignty.