Buy Everclear (CLEAR)

What is Everclear (CLEAR)?

Everclear is a cross-chain clearing layer designed to coordinate liquidity settlement across multiple blockchains. It uses netting to reduce the cost and capital requirements of cross-chain transactions, benefiting multi-chain users, solvers, and protocols. The native token, CLEAR, serves as both a governance and incentive asset, replacing the earlier NEXT token.

Everclear aims to abstract chains away from the end user, allowing them to express high-level intents (e.g., swap or bridge assets) without worrying about manual bridging, gas fees, or switching networks. A network of solvers and a modular clearing infrastructure handle execution, bridging, and settlement across EVM and non-EVM chains.

Primary Goals:

• Cut cross-chain transaction and rebalancing costs by netting bidirectional flows.
• Solve liquidity fragmentation by aggregating multi-chain order flows.
• Enable practical chain abstraction for seamless dApp usage across chains.
• Improve capital efficiency for solvers by simplifying multi-chain liquidity management.

Problems Addressed:

• High cost and operational complexity of traditional bridges.
• Fragmented liquidity and idle capital across chains.
• User friction from manual bridging and network switching.
• Cross-chain coordination and security risks.

How does Everclear (CLEAR) work?

Everclear is built as a modular cross-chain clearing layer that sits between user-facing intent protocols and underlying blockchains. It currently runs as an Arbitrum Orbit rollup, connecting to chains like Ethereum, Optimism, Base, Polygon, BNB Chain, and Solana using transport protocols such as Hyperlane.

Architecture Layers:

• Execution/Clearing Layer: Manages netting, clearing, and settlement logic for cross-chain liquidity flows.
• Consensus/Security Layer: Uses EigenLayer’s AVSs and restaked ETH for validation and security.
• Transport Layer: Relies on messaging protocols like Hyperlane to communicate across chains.

Core Mechanisms:

• Netting Algorithms: Inspired by traditional finance, only the residual imbalances are bridged, reducing costs.
• Hub-and-Spoke Model: Everclear acts as a central hub with connected chains as spokes.
• Intent Fulfilment via Solvers: Solvers compete to fulfil user intents using Everclear’s infrastructure.
• Vote-Bonding (vbCLEAR): CLEAR can be locked into vbCLEAR, granting governance rights and a share of protocol fees.

Smart Contracts and Logic:

• Deployed primarily in EVM-compatible environments, Everclear’s contracts handle clearing, solver positions, and vbCLEAR staking.
• Chain abstraction is handled through middleware, enabling dApps to use Everclear seamlessly without managing chain-specific logic.

What are the potential use cases for Everclear (CLEAR)?

Real-World Applications:

• Intent-based protocols and wallets using Everclear for automated, chain-agnostic UX.
• Solver networks and market makers reducing rebalancing and improving liquidity utilisation.
• Bridges and messaging protocols integrating Everclear to offset capital costs.
• Restaking integrations such as with Renzo Protocol, allowing efficient use of liquid restaked ETH derivatives.
• Multi-chain DeFi protocols (DEXs, money markets) accessing liquidity across chains without replicating TVL.

Industries and Sectors:

• DeFi: Especially cross-chain lending, swaps, yield, and restaking.
• Interoperability Infrastructure: Bridges, messaging layers, chain-abstraction middleware.
• Institutional Finance: Market makers and institutions seeking efficient multi-chain operations.

Key Partnerships:

• Renzo Protocol: Integrated restaking flows and significant TVL contribution.
• EigenLayer: Provides modular validation and security.
• Hyperlane: Enables permissionless addition of chains to the clearing layer.

What is the history of Everclear (CLEAR)?

Everclear originated from Connext, launched in 2017 as a pioneering cross-chain protocol. In mid-2024, the project rebranded to Everclear, transitioning from a bridge-centric model to a clearing-focused architecture aimed at reducing liquidity fragmentation.

Key Milestones:

• 2017: Launch of Connext, focused on cross-chain transfers.
• June 2024: Rebranding to Everclear and adoption of the clearing layer model.
• September 2024: Mainnet launch as an Arbitrum Orbit rollup.
• CLEAR Token Launch: Replaced NEXT with CLEAR, featuring vote-bonding for governance (vbCLEAR).
• Renzo Integration: Enabled efficient cross-chain restaking and added significant TVL.

Major Updates:

• Transition from NEXT to CLEAR introduced long-term staking, fee sharing, and governance via vbCLEAR instead of a traditional fork.
• Focus shifted from bridging infrastructure to a netting-based clearing system with improved capital efficiency.

Technology & Market Evolution:

• Expanded from EVM chains to include non-EVM (e.g., Solana) integrations.
• Architecture evolved into a three-layer system (execution, security, transport).
• Positioned itself as the first dedicated cross-chain clearing layer, with growing traction in restaking and intent-based DeFi.