Base: Coinbase’s Layer-2 Ethereum Network Aims for Billion On-Chain Users
Base – a Layer-2 scaling network on Ethereum launched in 2023 by leading US cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase – is increasingly asserting its position as a hub for decentralized applications (dapps), decentralized finance (DeFi), Web3 games, and consumer platforms.
What is Base?
Based on OP Stack, an open-source framework from Optimism, Base operates on an optimistic rollup model, allowing multiple transactions to be aggregated before being pushed to Ethereum Layer-1. This allows users to make faster, cheaper transactions, while still inheriting the security of the Ethereum network.
Although Base uses ETH as its gas token, Coinbase has confirmed that it has no plans to issue its own token for Base, despite speculation in the community. CEO Brian Armstrong has made it clear: “We have no plans to create any tokens for Base.”
Why did Coinbase build Base?
Coinbase aims to bring billions of users onto the blockchain, and to do that, they need an infrastructure that is scalable, cost-effective, and accessible to both end users and developers. Base is intended to be a bridge into the crypto economy, rather than an isolated island.
Additionally, Base is committed to a decentralized model that is highly interoperable with other blockchain networks, while eliminating unnecessary intermediaries.
A Growing Ecosystem
Although Base does not issue reward tokens, it still attracts a large number of developers through its **sponsorship and technical support programs. Currently, Base is the foundation for hundreds of applications, spanning many fields:
DeFi
According to DefiLlama, Base currently has over $2.8 billion in total value locked (TVL) and is home to 492 DeFi protocols. Leading the way is the decentralized exchange Aerodrome, which accounts for nearly 25% of TVL. Big names such as Uniswap, AAVE, Moonwell, and Pendle are also active here.
Gaming
The network is also notable for its layer 3 network B3 - a gaming platform with over 117 games and 6 million players. Notable titles such as Frenpet, Aavegotchi, Heroes of Mavia have chosen Base as their new home. Notably, Aavegotchi has completely moved from Polygon to Base after a community vote in April 2025.
Consumer Applications
Base also supports many consumer platforms such as:
- Farcaster (decentralized social network),
- Warpcast (Web3 interactive application),
- Flaunch (token launcher),
- Sofamon (NFT collectible stickers),
- And loyalty programs like Blackbird restaurant.
Compared to other networks
Base is currently one of the world's leading layer-2 networks, with over 700 million USD TVL, second only to Arbitrum. In terms of users, Base has reached 1.2 million daily active addresses, ranking 5th globally, surpassing many famous layer-1 networks such as Solana.
In terms of development, Base ranks 4th among layer-2 networks in terms of core developers, behind only Optimism, zkSync Era, and Arbitrum.
Vision and Future
Coinbase has set bold goals for Base by 2025:
- 25 million users,
- 25,000 developers,
- $100 billion in assets built on the platform.
To achieve this, Base is focused on improving the developer experience through AI agents, a smart wallet ecosystem with setup times under 60 seconds, and accelerating dapp distribution to expand the market.
Summary: With a long-term strategy, solid underlying technology, and the backing of Coinbase, Base is becoming the most vibrant on-chain hub on Ethereum. This is not just a scaling platform – it is a serious statement about a future where blockchain serves billions of users worldwide.