NEAR has switched to Confidential by Default mode

NEAR Protocol has switched to Confidential by Default mode, and this changes how balances, deposits, swaps, and payments are visible on the network. The decision was announced by project co-founder Illia Polosukhin.

According to him, Confidential Intents is now the default mode. In this format, deal details are hidden by default.

The feature was first shown back in February 2026. It became publicly available in July.

What exactly changed in NEAR?

Privacy in NEAR no longer needs to be enabled manually. It has become the network’s default behavior.

This refers to Confidential Account and Confidential Intents. Polosukhin and Aurora Labs product lead Matt Henderson said it is not possible to roll back to the old mode. This is an important line. Not a cosmetic update, but a new operating logic.

The principle is simple. A transaction is processed in a private environment with a TEE bridge to the main network. The public mempool does not see the operation parameters until completion. That is why it is harder for bots to intercept swaps. That is where the main difference lies.

Why does this matter for users and traders?

For an ordinary user, this means fewer unnecessary eyes on transactions. A balance, deposit, or payment does not show up for everyone to see.

For traders, the point is even more practical. NEAR directly links the shift to high MEV bot activity. The network also says the new mechanism is not the same as a mixer. At the request of regulators, data can be disclosed selectively.

There is also a technical detail that sets NEAR apart from many private networks. Client-side ZK proof generation is not required here. For users, that means less friction in the interface. Simply put, everything should work almost the same as before.

Market reaction and infrastructure scale

NEAR Intents already looks like more than an experiment. The infrastructure page shows more than $26 billion in swap volume, more than $43 million in fees generated, and support for 34 blockchains. Integrations listed include Ledger, Trust Wallet, SwapKit, THORSwap, LI.FI, Rabby, Rango, Infinex, KyberSwap, a major exchange Wallet, and Brave.

According to NearStats, as of August 30, 2026, 13:17 UTC, Confidential TVL stood at $50.8 million. The same data shows that ZEC routes through NEAR Intents generated $17.6 million over 30 days, or 6.9% of the 30-day NEAR Intents volume of $256.5 million.

“Confidential is the default on near.com,” Polosukhin wrote on X on August 29, 2026.

The first external integrations after Confidential Intents opened appeared very quickly. NearStats records Aurora Intents Swap API on July 13, 2026, LeoDex on July 16, and Infinex Confidential on July 18. This shows that demand for private swaps was not theoretical. It appeared immediately.

• Privacy in NEAR has become the default mode.

• Transaction parameters are not visible in the public mempool until completion.

• The network says this protects against front-running and MEV attacks.

• It is not possible to switch back to the old mode.

• Regulators can receive data upon request.

• As of August 30, 2026, Confidential TVL reached $50.8 million.

What does this mean for investors?

For investors, it is important not to confuse privacy with unlimited anonymity. NEAR emphasizes that access to data can be selective. This reduces the risk of abuse, but it does not make the network “blind” to everyone.

There is also a market backdrop. After the initial launch of Confidential Intents, CoinDesk wrote on March 2, 2026, about NEAR rising 17% in a day and about 40% over a week. That is no guarantee of a repeat, but the signal is clear. The market likes news that solves a specific problem.

For Ukrainian users, there is another practical point here. If network activity moves into private mode, then the issue of entry and exit price becomes even more sensitive. When a person wants to quickly sell Ethereum ETH on Monobank, what matters is not loud words, but a clear rate and fast settlement. That is how the value of such changes is measured.

Frequently asked questions

What is Confidential Intents in NEAR?

It is a private transaction execution mode in NEAR. It hides balances, deposits, swaps, and payments by default. According to the project, the mechanism works through a private environment with a TEE bridge to the main network.

Can you return to the old mode?

No, according to Matt Henderson, it is not possible to switch back. In other words, Confidential Account has become the default option. This is not a temporary feature, but a new network setting.

How is this different from a mixer?

NEAR says this is a different approach. Data can be disclosed to regulators or counterparties if needed. Therefore, the mechanism is aimed at transaction privacy, not at completely hiding everything from everyone.

NEAR has made a bet on privacy without extra steps for the user. If this model takes hold, other networks will also look in this direction.

This material is not financial advice. Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks. Part of this text was prepared with the help of artificial intelligence based on public sources and reviewed by our editorial team.