Base Network Pivots from Optimism Tech, Eyes Native Token Amid Scaling Ambitions

Coinbase-backed Ethereum scaling network Base is set to transition away from the Optimism technology stack, "OP Stack," in favor of its own unified technology. This strategic shift aims to accelerate upgrade deployment and reduce operational overhead, as the network targets a significant increase in transaction throughput.

Key Takeaways

• Base is replacing the open-source Optimism tech stack with its proprietary, unified technology.

• The network plans to double its hard-forks to six per year for more focused upgrades.

• Node operators will need to migrate to the new Base client in the coming months.

• This move coincides with Base exploring the launch of its own native token.

A New Technical Foundation

Base, incubated by the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, announced its decision to evolve its technical roadmap. The network will adopt a new, unified tech stack, comprising its own specifications, code, and infrastructure. This move is intended to grant Base greater autonomy in shipping protocol improvements more frequently and efficiently.

Wilson Cusack, Head of Product at Base, stated on X that this shift will enable the network to "accelerate the foundation of Base" and focus resources on scaling to "1 gigagas/s" (1 billion gas units per second). This ambitious target was previously identified as the network's "north star" during a roadmap update in February.

Increased Upgrade Cadence and Node Migration

As part of this transition, Base intends to increase its network hard-forks from the current rate to six per year. This will allow for more frequent and focused upgrades. The current architecture, where components like the sequencer are managed by multiple teams across various repositories, creates coordination and maintenance overhead. The new unified solution, built on open-sourced components like Reth, aims to simplify the number of components and optimize them specifically for Base's use case.

While no immediate action is required from Base node operators or developers, they will need to migrate to the new Base client within the next few months to ensure compatibility. The long-term goal of these changes is to enhance the network's decentralization and scalability.

Token Launch Exploration and Market Position

The technical roadmap update follows Coinbase's recent Q4 earnings report, where the exchange highlighted its intention to drive transactions on the Base network in 2026. Furthermore, representatives from both Coinbase and Base have confirmed that the network is actively exploring the launch of its own native token. Previous market estimates have placed the potential market capitalization of this token between $12 billion and $34 billion.

Currently, Base holds the position of the leading layer-2 network in terms of bridged total value locked, according to data from DefiLlama. Its size in this category is approximately 32% of that of the layer-1 network Solana.

Sources

• Coinbase-Backed Ethereum Network Base to Dump Optimism Tech as Potential Token Looms, Decrypt.