ERC-7521 is a generalized intent specification for smart contract wallets that enables users to express their desired outcomes rather than manually executing complex transaction sequences. This Ethereum improvement proposal creates a unified framework that allows smart contract wallets to support multiple intent standards without requiring constant upgrades, fundamentally transforming how users interact with onchain applications.
How ERC-7521 Works: Intent-Based Transaction Framework
Unlike traditional transaction models where users must specify exact execution steps, ERC-7521 allows users to define their goals through UserIntent objects. These signed messages contain the user's desired outcome along with verification data, which specialized solvers then fulfill by finding optimal execution pathways across various protocols and chains.
The standard operates through a trusted entry point contract that handles signature verification before delegating intent execution to appropriate intent standard contracts. This architecture reduces the complexity burden on individual wallets while maintaining security and enabling future extensibility as new intent patterns emerge.
Benefits of Generalized Intents for Smart Contract Wallets
ERC-7521 delivers significant advantages by standardizing intent handling across the ecosystem. Users gain access to more intuitive blockchain interactions where they can focus on desired outcomes rather than technical implementation details. The framework builds upon ERC-4337's account abstraction model, extending its capabilities to support arbitrary intent structures while maintaining compatibility with existing smart contract wallet infrastructure.
Developers benefit from reduced integration overhead and future-proof applications that can adapt to evolving intent standards without requiring fundamental architectural changes.
The standard's modular design ensures that as the blockchain ecosystem continues evolving, wallet providers and onchain applications can seamlessly support new intent types while maintaining backward compatibility with existing user flows and security models.