Commerce should start with intention.
Commerce has always evolved through innovation. Each technological shift has transformed how people discover, buy and sell. The Intent Commerce Foundation explores a simple question: what becomes possible when commerce begins with intention?
This manifesto introduces the principles that guide that exploration. They are not rules or certainties, but beliefs intended to inspire discussion, challenge assumptions and shape a new way of thinking about commerce.
Every commercial interaction starts because someone is trying to achieve something. Commerce should begin with that intention—not only with what is available to sell.
Commerce becomes more meaningful when participants can express relevant signals, and when markets are able to respond to them.
People own their intentions. Sharing them should always remain voluntary, transparent and under their control. Trust begins by respecting that ownership.
Without trust, meaningful signals disappear. Without signals, meaningful commerce cannot emerge. Trust is not a feature. It is infrastructure.
Commerce is not a sequence of offers. It is an ongoing interaction where participants progressively discover, understand and adapt to one another.
Every interaction enriches how each participant understands the commercial situation. Better representations create better decisions.
As understanding grows, better alignment becomes possible. Meaningful commerce emerges when participants move toward alignment—not when one side simply wins.