Coinbase’s Base Network Moves Beyond Optimism’s OP Stack to Gain Greater Control

Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 network, Base, is transitioning away from relying solely on Optimism’s OP Stack as it seeks greater control over its technology and infrastructure. In a recent blog post titled “The Next Chapter for Base,” the team outlined plans to consolidate its development into a Base-managed codebase, marking a significant evolution for one of the fastest-growing Ethereum scaling solutions.

Base originally launched in 2023 using Optimism’s OP Stack, a popular toolkit designed to help developers build scalable layer-2 blockchains on Ethereum. Optimism itself is a layer-2 network that improves Ethereum’s performance by lowering transaction fees and speeding up settlement times. By leveraging this technology, Base quickly gained traction and now holds approximately $3.85 billion in total value locked (TVL), making it one of the leading Ethereum layer-2 networks in the market.

Under a prior agreement, Base could earn up to 118 million OP tokens over six years. However, following the announcement of this infrastructure shift, uncertainty remains about how the change may impact that arrangement. The OP token fell 4% in the 24 hours after the news broke, reflecting market reaction to the update.

Despite stepping back from direct reliance on the OP Stack, Base emphasized that it is not severing ties with Optimism. The network will continue collaborating with Optimism for support and maintain compatibility with OP Stack standards during the transition. For developers and everyday users, the changes are expected to be largely technical and not disruptive.

By managing its own technology stack, Base aims to accelerate innovation and streamline operations. The team plans to double its pace of major upgrades to around six per year, reinforcing its long-term commitment to scaling Ethereum and enhancing blockchain infrastructure.