Base, Coinbase’s Ethereum layer 2 network, is changing the technology that powers it and no longer relies on OP Stack, the toolkit originally launched by Optimism.
In a blog post titled “Base’s next chapter,” the team said it plans to take more control over its code and infrastructure. Instead of relying on multiple external teams for critical upgrades and changes, Base consolidates everything into a Base-managed code base.
Simply put, Base was built using Optimism’s technology, but now it wants to pilot more of its own ship. Optimism is a layer 2 blockchain on top of Ethereum designed to reduce settlement times and transaction costs.
Base launched in 2023 and quickly became one of the most widely used Ethereum layer 2 networks, with $3.85 billion currently locked in the protocol.
Following the announcement, OP tokens fell by 4% in the past 24 hours.
The team said the change does not mean Base completely cuts ties with Optimism. The company said it will still work with Optimism for support and maintain compatibility with OP Stack standards during the transition period. For everyday users and developers, nothing should change right away.
The team says the shift is happening because if Base controls its own stack, it can make upgrades faster and simplify how the network operates behind the scenes, aiming to double the speed of major upgrades to about six per year.
For now, the shift is mostly technical.
“This unification does not mean that Base will be built in isolation. The protocol remains open and publicly specified, and alternative implementations are welcome and encouraged,” the team wrote in a blog post.
Read more: Coinbase officially launches public company’s milestone underlying blockchain