How can OIF and interoperability standards break the fragmentation of Web3 cross-chain?

A core dilemma in Web3 today is that, although interoperability is widely discussed, the actual user experience remains at the “instruction stacking” stage. This means that every cross-chain transaction requires users to manually complete multiple steps, switch between different chains, and repeatedly authorize — a process that continuously consumes users’ patience and funds. The emergence of the Open Intents Framework (OIF) is rewriting this situation.

The OIF, jointly promoted by the Ethereum Foundation and leading projects like Across, Arbitrum, Hyperlane, and others, is positioned as a key component in the “initialization” phase of interoperability strategy. It is not merely a cross-chain aggregator but a standardized framework aimed at the entire ecosystem — once fully adopted, it will bring a fundamental transformation to Web3’s cross-chain experience.

From Commands to Intent: Paradigm Shift in User Experience through Interoperability

To understand the core value of OIF, first recognize a fundamental question: Why are Web3 user operations so complex today?

Suppose you want to exchange USDC on Arbitrum for ETH on Base. Currently, you need to: switch your wallet to the Arbitrum network → authorize the cross-chain bridge contract → initiate the cross-chain transaction → wait for the funds to arrive → switch to the Base network → then authorize and execute the swap via an aggregator. This process is not only cumbersome but also risky — gas fees, slippage, cross-chain delays, contract security risks — a single mistake can lead to funds loss.

This is essentially a “command mode” mapped onto the chain — users must precisely describe each step. Like telling a driver to go to the airport, not just “take me to the airport,” but “turn left, go straight for 500 meters, take the overpass, exit the ramp,” forcing users to become operation experts.

OIF advocates a completely different “intent mode.” Users only need to express the final goal — “I want to swap USDC on chain A for ETH on chain B” — without worrying about how to achieve it. This intent is received by a solver, which automatically handles all technical details, including optimal routing, cross-chain execution, slippage control, etc. From the user’s perspective, this means signing once to complete the entire cross-chain transaction — what is called the “chain abstraction” experience.

This shift is significant because it transforms interoperability from a technical concept into a perceptible upgrade in user experience — users do not need to understand the underlying mechanics, only clearly express their needs.

How OIF Differs: Standardization as a Solution to Ecosystem Fragmentation

Currently, the Web3 intent market faces a clear problem: chaotic standards. UniswapX has its own intent protocol, CowSwap has its standard, Across also defines its format. As a result, solvers need to adapt to dozens of protocols, wallets must integrate countless SDKs, and the entire ecosystem’s interoperability is effectively negative.

This means that current “interoperability” is just a name — different DApps and bridges still operate as isolated islands.

The core innovation of OIF is its “neutrality.” It is not a proprietary standard of any project but a public infrastructure co-built by the Ethereum Foundation, Across, Arbitrum, Hyperlane, LI.FI, OpenZeppelin, Taiko, and others. OIF defines the data format for intents, signature verification, settlement mechanisms, and other low-level protocols, enabling any wallet, DApp, or solver that complies with the standard to communicate on the same channel.

Once a wallet integrates the OIF standard, developers no longer need to adapt separately for each bridge or aggregator. This shift means an exponential increase in development efficiency — moving from “one-to-many” repetitive development to “one-to-one” standard integration.

For users, this translates into a unified upgrade in wallet experience. For example, after integrating OIF, applications like imToken can seamlessly recognize users’ cross-chain intents and automatically invoke any compliant solver to complete transactions. Users will experience a dramatic reduction in operational complexity.

Global Liquidity: Market Reshaping Behind Interoperability Standards

OIF also has an often-overlooked value — its impact on overall network liquidity.

Currently, liquidity in the Ethereum ecosystem is severely fragmented. Uniswap has deep liquidity on Base, but this liquidity is “invisible” to Arbitrum users because there is no efficient cross-chain aggregation mechanism. As a result, market makers need to configure funds on multiple chains, leading to low capital utilization.

Through OIF and the ERC-7683 standard, all intent orders can be aggregated into a global shared order book. This means a market maker no longer needs to configure liquidity on each chain separately but can instead monitor demand across all chains and provide funds on the most optimal chain. The consequence of this change is increased liquidity utilization, better quotes for users, and significantly improved market efficiency.

The true significance of interoperability standards lies here — enabling liquidity to become a genuinely shared resource across the entire network, rather than isolated pools “caged” on individual chains.

Progress in Ecosystem Implementation: From Concept to Engineering Reality

By industry events like Devconnect 2025, OIF has moved from theoretical discussion to engineering implementation.

At the standard level, ERC-7683, jointly proposed by Uniswap Labs and Across Protocol, serves as a universal structure standard for cross-chain intents. This standard is gaining increasing support from developers, solvers, and market makers, marking the transition of cross-chain intent trading from private protocols to public infrastructure.

At the ecosystem level, major L2s like Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon, ZKsync are participating in OIF discussions and testing, with infrastructure providers like Across, Hyperlane, LI.FI also involved. This indicates that interoperability is no longer just a project vision but a consensus direction across the Ethereum ecosystem.

Strategically, the Ethereum Foundation has explicitly outlined OIF’s role in its interoperability roadmap — the initial phase addresses “intent and UX” issues, with OIF providing common interfaces at the application layer; subsequent acceleration and finalization phases involve EIL (Ethereum Interoperability Layer) providing trust-minimized messaging channels across L2s at the protocol layer. The combination of these layers forms the dual core of the future interoperability ecosystem.

What Does Interoperability Mean: Unlocking Imagination

What changes will the implementation of OIF bring to users, developers, and markets?

For users, the most direct benefit of interoperability is simplified operations — no longer worrying about “which chain” or “which bridge,” just expressing “what I want to do.” You could, for example, use an intent to buy an NFT on Arbitrum while on Optimism, with the system automatically handling the process, requiring only one signature. This upgrade will significantly lower the barrier to Web3 adoption.

For developers, interoperability means a single integration that works everywhere. Wallet and DApp developers no longer need to repeatedly develop adaptation layers for each bridge or aggregator; integrating the OIF standard allows access to the entire intent network of the ecosystem. This efficiency boost will directly reduce development costs and accelerate innovation cycles.

For the market, interoperability means a comprehensive increase in capital efficiency. Market makers and liquidity providers can allocate funds efficiently across the global order book, and users will receive better trading quotes. From a macro perspective, this is a sign of the entire crypto market maturing — moving from isolated islands to a high-efficiency, unified liquidity market.

The Future of Interoperability: From “Can Use” to “All Use”

Currently, OIF is still in the standard-setting and ecosystem pilot stages, and ordinary users may not yet perceive this change. But judging by the industry conference enthusiasm and participant scale, the entire industry has reached a consensus — in the next few years, “good wallets + good applications” will very likely build cross-chain capabilities on top of frameworks like OIF.

The deeper significance of this shift is that interoperability has never been just a technical issue but a coordination challenge across the entire Web3 ecosystem. By establishing unified standards, OIF enables all participants to communicate on the same channel, advancing “interoperability” from a concept in whitepapers to a reproducible, auditable, and scalable engineering reality.

Next time you use a wallet, you might notice a subtle but profound change: you can stop worrying about specific details and just clearly express your intent — that is the role of infrastructure like OIF quietly manifesting. This shift signifies that Web3 interoperability is moving from an ideal to everyday practice.