Brave Wallet introduces NEAR capabilities

March 12, 2026

Brave Wallet has recently incorporated NEAR Intents, a strategic move that significantly broadens the wallet’s cross-chain capabilities. This latest update, as outlined on the official Brave blog, now enables users to smoothly swap assets across a wide range of supported blockchains directly within the browser-based wallet.

By integrating NEAR Intents, Brave Wallet aims to bridge previously isolated ecosystems, including dominant players like Bitcoin, Solana, Zcash, Cardano, as well as several EVM-compatible chains such as Ethereum and Arbitrum. To date, NEAR Intents has powered over 19 million swaps and facilitated a total volume of $14 billion spanning across 35 different chains.

NEAR Intents operates on a pioneering transaction framework meticulously crafted to streamline cross-chain operations for various DeFi applications, AI agents, and everyday users. By taking this approach, the integration eliminates the necessity for conventional, often cumbersome, bridges.

The recent integration has unlocked the functionality for Brave Wallet users to seamlessly conduct direct asset swaps across networks that previously lacked decentralized exchange (DEX) options. This now means that users can effortlessly transfer assets like Bitcoin (BTC) and Zcash (ZEC) within the wallet interface. Moreover, the system enables transactions involving both transparent and shielded ZEC, automatically refunding any returns back to the shielded pool.

Notably, shielded transactions, which leverage zero-knowledge proofs to ensure user privacy, stand out as a crucial feature benefitting Zcash users who operate within the Brave Wallet. This capability allows for discreet transactions and secure storage of cryptocurrency assets.

James Mudgett, who serves as the VP of Web3 at Brave, emphasized the user-friendly nature of the recent update, noting that “Users can now seamlessly move an extensive array of assets across different blockchains, including Bitcoin, Zcash, Solana, Cardano, and the EVM ecosystem, all without the need for bridges or manual gas handling.” Mudgett underscored that the primary objective is to make cross-chain interactions feel organic and hassle-free for users.

Further underlining the significance of this integration is Alex Shevchenko, the CEO of Defuse Labs, the team behind NEAR Intents. Shevchenko articulated that the integration of NEAR Intents into Brave Wallet solidifies the freedom to conduct trades effortlessly across various chains for anyone with browser access, spanning from Bitcoin to Shielded Zcash. He sees this seamless integration as a compelling demonstration of how intention-driven infrastructure can simplify accessibility and fortify user privacy safeguards.

This collaboration between Brave and NEAR signifies an ongoing commitment by Brave to advance the integration of Web3 crypto technology, further accentuating its position in the forefront of innovation in the cryptocurrency space.