Coinbase-Backed Ethereum Network Base to Dump Optimism Tech as Potential Token Looms
Base, Ethereum’s Coinbase-incubated layer-2 scaling network, will adopt a new unified tech stack to accelerate upgrades and reduce maintenance overhead. This transition moves Base away from the Optimism (OP) Stack towards a custom infrastructure called "base/base," optimized with open-source components like Reth. The network aims to reach 1 billion gas units processed per second—a target 40 times its previous performance—and will double hard-fork upgrades to six per year. Currently, Base code is fragmented across teams and repositories, and the new approach seeks to centralize and simplify its architecture for greater autonomy and scalability. Node operators and developers will need to migrate to the new Base client in the coming months. Expected benefits include increased decentralization and performance. The network ranks as the top layer-2 in bridged total value locked, though substantially smaller than Solana. Coinbase recently reaffirmed its commitment to growing network transactions and Base may launch a native token, with potential valuations estimated between $12-34 billion. Coinbase shares have seen a significant decline over the last six months.
