Base
Ethereum layer 2 network built by Coinbase, with no native token and ETH used for gas.
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Base key facts
| Category | Layer 2 network |
|---|---|
| Chains | Ethereum L2 |
| Platforms | Web, API |
| Fees | L2 execution fee plus L1 security fee |
| Company | Built by Coinbase |
| Open source | Yes, MIT license (github.com/base/base) |
What is Base?
Base is an Ethereum layer 2 network built by Coinbase. Each transaction pays an L2 execution fee plus an L1 security fee for publishing data to Ethereum, and the L1 part is usually the larger one. Withdrawals from Base to Ethereum wait 7 days under its fault proof system.
How Base works
The Base sequencer orders transactions and confirms them in stages.
A transaction lands in a Flashblock preconfirmation after about 200 ms and in an L2 block after about 2 seconds. Its batch is posted to Ethereum after about 2 minutes and becomes final after about 20 minutes, once the Ethereum batch is older than 64 L1 blocks. Base says Flashblocks reorg less than 0.001% of the time, and batched blocks have never been reorged.
Withdrawals to Ethereum use fault proofs. A permissionless proposer posts a claim about Base state, and for 7 days a permissionless challenger can dispute it through the Fault Dispute Game, with bonds that grow each round. Base says it always runs an honest proposer and an honest challenger. Base launched permissionless fault proofs in October 2024.
How to start with Base
- Base is a standard EVM chain.
- Add it to any Ethereum wallet: RPC mainnet.base.org, chain ID 8453, currency ETH, explorer basescan.org.
- If you have a Coinbase account, withdraw ETH, USDC or cbBTC directly to the Base network with no bridge.
- From Ethereum, Base points to Superbridge or Brid.gg.
- The Base-Solana bridge moves SOL and SPL tokens, and Garden bridges BTC to cbBTC.
- The old bridge at bridge.base.org is deprecated.
- Deposits from Ethereum usually reach Base within 3 minutes.
Base fees and limits
- Base puts that at about $0.002 for a 200,000 gas transaction when ETH is $2,000.
- Base runs EIP-1559 with an elasticity of 6 and a denominator of 125, so the base fee can rise at most 4% per block.
Each transaction pays an L2 execution fee and an L1 security fee for publishing data to Ethereum. Since the Jovian upgrade, the L2 base fee has a floor of 0.005 gwei (5,000,000 wei). The L1 part tracks Ethereum demand, so sending when L1 gas is low costs less.
Risks to know before using Base
- Contract upgrades need a 2-of-2 approval.
- One side is a 3-of-6 Coinbase multisig.
- The other is a Security Council multisig of 11 independent members that needs 8 signatures.
- Base moved upgrade control to the Council in April 2025 and says it has since reached Stage 1 decentralization.
- Base also notes that Coinbase takes no responsibility for the third-party bridges it lists.
Base alternatives
Other projects people compare with Base.
zkEVM rollup on Ethereum incubated within Consensys, with ETH for gas and a LINEA burn token.
Optimistic rollup on Ethereum and reference chain of the open-source OP Stack.
Gaming-focused Ethereum layer 2 on the OP Stack, launched by Sky Mavis, with RON as its gas and staking token.
Validity rollup on Ethereum using STARK proofs and the Cairo language, with fees paid in STRK.
ZK rollup on Ethereum that proves every operation with zero-knowledge proofs, with its own EraVM.
Optimistic rollup on Ethereum (Arbitrum One) built on the Offchain Labs Nitro stack, governed by ARB holders.
Where Base ranks on DappAtlas
Base pros and cons
- Swaps and sends inside Base do not wait for the 7-day withdrawal window
- Node software published under the MIT license on GitHub
- No separate network token needed to pay gas
- Withdrawals to Ethereum take 7 days to finalize
- L1 security fee is typically higher than the L2 execution fee
- Built by a single company, Coinbase
Base FAQ
What is Base?
Base is an Ethereum layer 2 network built by Coinbase. Each transaction pays an L2 execution fee plus an L1 security fee for publishing data to Ethereum, and the L1 part is usually the larger one. Withdrawals from Base to Ethereum wait 7 days under its fault proof system.
Which chains does Base support?
Ethereum L2.
How much does Base cost?
L2 execution fee plus L1 security fee, according to Base’s own page (checked Sep 26, 2026).
Sources
How this page works
Sources: Base: official site, Base: Network fees, Base: Docs overview. Data as of Sep 26, 2026.
Not affiliated with any project listed. Educational content, not financial advice.