Coinbase's Base pivots away from Optimism stack

Layer-2 network Base is taking full ownership of its blockchain technology, moving away from a heavy reliance on Optimism's OP Stack.

Coinbase's Base ditches Optimism stack for unified in-house technology

Base, the Ethereum Layer-2 network developed by Coinbase, outlined plans to gradually reduce reliance on the OP Stack framework and transition to its own unified technology stack, according to a Wednesday blog post.

The transition, described as the next chapter for the Base Chain, aims to accelerate the rollout of updates and optimize network performance. By internalizing key components of the technology stack, Base anticipates faster iteration cycles, which could translate to improved scalability, security, and user experience. 

The network emphasized that this shift will not disrupt ongoing operations, assuring users and developers that it will remain stable throughout the process.

"Base will continue operating as it does today, and we will remain compatible with the OP Stack specification (including continued support for existing RPCs)," the blog post noted.

Base's leadership highlighted the collaborative nature of the change, committing to continued partnership with Optimism during the handover period to ensure a seamless integration of new systems.

The announcement comes amid broader discussions in the blockchain community about the sustainability and competitiveness of Layer-2 solutions. 

The Layer-2 network was launched in August 2023 and has rapidly grown into one of the leading rollups, boasting nearly $4 billion in total value locked (TVL) and handling millions of daily transactions. 

However, recent challenges, including developer criticisms of reward structures and platform migrations such as Zora's pivot to Solana, have fueled speculation about Base's long-term viability. The blog post outlines a phased approach to the transition, beginning with adopting alternative, fault-tolerant systems and progressing toward full independence from the OP Stack. 

Base plans to implement its own upgrades, incorporating advanced features such as zero-knowledge proofs and enhanced data availability layers, to stay ahead in the increasingly crowded Layer-2 space. 

The strategy aligns with Coinbase's broader vision of building a more integrated and efficient on-chain economy, where Base serves as a gateway for mainstream adoption of decentralized applications.