Welcome to the first blog of a series of educational posts around exciting Web3 topics. At Mimic, we are blockchain infrastructure providers, and we are passionate about moving the crypto industry forward. We believe that there is a heavy reliance on manual processes and transactions in Web3, and we are creating automation tools to simplify the way people code, execute, and scale blockchain projects. 

The goal of these blog posts is to share knowledge on key Web3 concepts, such as onchain automation, intents, crosschain, smart contract execution, or chain abstraction. From our years of experience building automation infrastructure for leading DeFi projects, we want to share all our insights around exciting blockchain topics, and start setting the context of Mimic Protocol, our new decentralized automation layer, ahead of its public launch.

So, what is onchain automation?

Onchain automation is the use of smart contracts and decentralized protocols to automate tasks, actions, or workflows directly on a blockchain when specific conditions are met, eliminating the need for manual inputs or offchain intervention.

In this blog, we will explore how automation is already helping Web2 industries, why it is needed in Web3, and some approaches to solving the current challenges in executing smart contract functions. We will also provide a brief overview of the Mimic Protocol.  Sounds interesting? Let’s dive right in!

The Web2 World is Already Automated

Automation has been essential for the growth of many different industries, enabling tasks to be performed with greater efficiency, accuracy, and scalability. 

For example, in Web2, the finance, agriculture, energy, software, retail, and logistics sectors have integrated automated systems to improve operations and enhance productivity.  In agriculture, automated machinery and irrigation systems have revolutionized farming practices, while automation in logistics, tracking, and transportation systems has massively improved supply chain management. 

Automation plays a crucial role in processing transactions, managing accounts, and facilitating different trading activities in finance. The majority of financial transactions are now automated:

• 60-75% of all the trading volume in U.S. equity markets is done through algorithmic trading | Source.
• 98% of all CFOs surveyed by McKinsey are investing in finance automation | Source.
• The network used for electronically moving money between bank accounts across the U.S. processed Over $42 trillion in value in 2024 | Source. 

These trends underscore a broader movement towards automation in the financial sector, driven by the need for efficiency, scalability, and enhanced customer experiences.

Web3 Needs Automation to Grow

Although other industries understand the value of automation, there are still many processes being done manually in Web3. For example, a simple action like sending an ERC20 token from one wallet to another involves:

• Opening and unlocking a wallet. 
• Choosing the correct network. 
• Clicking on send.
• Entering the recipient address. 
• Selecting the asset and amount.
• Setting the transaction fee. 
• Double-checking all the details (once a transaction is sent it can’t be reversed).
• Approving the spending. 
• Executing the transaction. 

At first, handling a few onchain transactions manually doesn’t seem so bad. Still, once the operations multiply (thousands of transactions across multiple chains, triggered by real-time onchain or offchain events), the cracks start to show:

• Time-consuming custom scripts
• Fragile cron jobs and bots
• Increased risk of human error
• High operational overhead
• Poor scalability

Whether building a DeFi protocol, a DAO treasury, or a crosschain app, developers are likely to be involved in many different onchain tasks, such as token swaps, fee distributions, asset bridging, and more, while trying to keep up with shifting market conditions and growing infrastructure demands. 

Smart contracts added a new wave of use cases to blockchain networks, but they can’t self-execute any functions. Someone needs to call the contract with a transaction in order for the smart contract to execute any actions. 

Given this, if we want to reach the next billion users, we must abandon processes that don’t scale, and it is certain that manual transactions don’t scale well. In traditional tech stacks, we rely on automated pipelines and scheduled tasks. Why should blockchain be any different? 

Yet, many recurring tasks in blockchain still require human intervention (e.g., manually executing scripts, monitoring market conditions, or toggling smart contracts). This approach limits Web3’s potential because manual effort is prone to error, delay, and unpredictability.

History shows a few attempts to introduce standardized automation, but none gave developers full flexibility in creating complex workflows. 

Brief History of Blockchain Automation

Smart contracts are often compared to “unstoppable programs” on the blockchain, but one thing they cannot accomplish independently is scheduling future actions. In other words, a contract won’t automatically execute a function at a specific time or when a certain condition is fulfilled. Someone or something must trigger it with a transaction. 

Initially, this required developers or users to run external scripts (bots) to invoke smart contract functions on a schedule. This approach was inconvenient and created central points of failure. 

Thus the demand for reliable onchain automation (crypto cron jobs) was born, and over the years several projects have tackled the challenge with different solutions. 

Ethereum Alarm Clock (2015–2019)

One of the earliest attempts at on-chain automation, Ethereum Alarm Clock, allowed users to schedule transactions for future execution. It enabled users to deposit ETH and specify a time window and call function. However, it never achieved widespread adoption due to costs, complexity, and the lack of incentives for executors ("TimeNodes”). 

You can access the documentation and GitHub pages (which are no longer actively maintained) to learn more about it.

Keep3r Network (2020)

Launched by Yearn founder Andre Cronje, Keep3r Network introduced a decentralized job board where projects list tasks (like harvesting yield), and independent bots called keepers execute them for KP3R token rewards. The system is fully permissionless—anyone can become a keeper by bonding KP3R—and has been used in protocols like Yearn and Fixed Forex. Its focus is on decentralizing DevOps for DeFi protocols.

Gelato Network (2020)

Gelato adopted a more developer-friendly approach by offering “automation as a service.” Developers can define tasks (e.g., "run this function every hour" or "when a price hits X") using resolvers or time-based triggers, while Gelato’s decentralized network of bots manages the rest. It minimizes the need to maintain your own infrastructure. The service is utilized across hundreds of DeFi, NFTs, and gaming applications, including projects like Aavegotchi and Beefy Finance. 

OpenZeppelin Defender (2020)

Created by the team behind the most widely used smart contract libraries, OpenZeppelin Defender provided secure, production-ready automation for Ethereum and EVM chains. It includes a suite of tools—Relayers, Autotasks, Sentinels, and Admin—designed for managing smart contracts and automating on-chain operations. Developers can write lightweight scripts (Autotasks) that trigger time-based schedules or smart contract events, executing them through secure relayers. While not fully decentralized, Defender emphasizes security, auditability, and developer experience, making it a favorite among DAOs and protocols like Compound, Optimism, and Gnosis. Recently they have announced that their Relayers and Monitor tools are now open source.

Chainlink Automation (2021)

Formerly known as Chainlink Keepers, Chainlink Automation brought the reliability of Chainlink’s oracle network to automation. 

Developers register an “upkeep” and write a checkUpkeep() function that Chainlink nodes monitor. When the conditions are met, Chainlink performs the task using its decentralized network of trusted nodes. This system is ideal for critical, high-value operations and is utilized by protocols such as Aave, Synthetix, and PoolTogether.

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Each solution demonstrated the growth of Web3’s infrastructure, evolving from basic scheduled calls to comprehensive decentralized automation networks. Collectively, they empower smart contracts to operate independently, eliminating the need for centralized cron jobs.

Moving Onchain Automation Forward With Mimic Protocol

We are solving the on-chain automation challenge by creating an open, flexible, and programmable automation layer.

Since 2021, Mimic has provided automation solutions for major DeFi leaders, including 1inch, Balancer, Ledger, Trezor, Trust Wallet, and WalletConnect. After three years of developing automation for top players in the industry, we are now opening our infrastructure to anyone seeking to elevate their projects to the next level. We aim to assist developers and protocols in scheduling and executing any onchain tasks based on custom conditions, as we recognize that each project requires a unique solution.

Mimic Protocol introduces a new infrastructure that simplifies how you code and scale blockchain projects across different chains. It enables you to program functions within your app or directly from your backend and utilize audited and pre-built smart contract functions that can be executed according to the logic you set. 

This logic can range from simple triggers, such as dates and times, to complex automation that depends on onchain and offchain events, balance thresholds, and more. As infrastructure providers, the tools we create should be practical and fully customizable.

There are a number of small actions that can be automated, serving as building blocks to scale your applications (like swap, wrap, or bridge). We want to help developers create music: we provide the notes so you can write the songs. 

We will delve deeper into how it works in more detail in the near future, but for now, we want to share that the Mimic Protocol consists of three core layers: the Planning Layer, the Execution Layer, and the Security Layer. Each layer involves key actors and components collaborating to ensure deterministic task execution, reliable intent handling, and robust security for all user operations.

If you are interested in a more technical explanation, here is our whitepaper (opens a pdf link).

Benefits of Onchain Automation

As DeFi ecosystems become increasingly complex and inherently multichain, onchain automation has emerged as an excellent tool for scaling operations and doing so securely, efficiently, and without human error.

Key Benefits of Onchain Automation

Onchain automation leverages smart contracts to eliminate the inefficiencies that slow down financial workflows. Here’s what it brings to the table:

• Efficiency Without Middlemen: Smart contracts can automatically handle tasks like rebalancing, swaps, or distributions, reducing costs and saving time.
• 24/7 Uptime: Tasks run continuously, even while you sleep. No human oversight is needed.
• Trustless Execution: Code is law; actions follow logic exactly as written, supported by cryptographic proof.
• Reduced Risk of Human Error: Deterministic logic eliminates manual steps, ensuring consistent outcomes.
• Scalability for Complex Operations: Multi-chain treasury management? DAO workflows? Automation manages it all without requiring additional manpower.
• Transparency & Auditability: Every execution is recorded onchain for complete traceability.

Why Mimic Protocol Sets a New Standard

While the benefits mentioned above apply broadly, Mimic Protocol elevates onchain automation with its modular & decentralized infrastructure, and unmatched customization:

• Decentralized & Secure Execution: A global network of relayers, solvers, and oracle verifiers ensures fault tolerance and safe automation without centralized risks.
• Full Customization: Each developer can select the components that best suit their needs, with hundreds of configurable parameters, from token lists and gas limits to custom slippage thresholds.
• Crosschain Power: Mimic Protocol operates seamlessly across 15+ chains.
• Onchain & Offchain Simulation: Optimize gas and swap prices with real-time market simulations prior to every execution.
• Automation with Intents: define tasks, which describe what data is needed, how to interpret it, and what conditions must be met to create intents (an intent represents an actionable instruction on the blockchain).
• User-defined Safeguards: a settler verifies that everything was done correctly, ensures that user-defined restrictions are respected, and finalizes the transaction outcome.

Join the Mimic Protocol Waitlist

As onchain automation continues to transform the way DeFi teams operate, Mimic Protocol is paving the way for a new standard in programmable, decentralized execution. 

Beta testing is starting soon. If you're a crypto developer or protocol operator, now’s your chance to get ahead of the curve.

Get early access to Mimic Protocol by clicking below 👇

Start simplifying how you code, execute, and scale blockchain projects. Let automation handle the busy work while you focus on building.

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