Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has supplied uncommon public reward for Coinbase’s Base community, describing it as a benchmark for a way Layer 2 options ought to operate.
In a Sept. 23 put up on X, he argued that Base combines sensible usability with the safety ensures of Ethereum’s core chain, making a mannequin that balances comfort and decentralization.
Buterin identified that Base employs sure centralized mechanisms to enhance velocity and consumer expertise.
But, not like exchanges or custodial companies, it doesn’t management consumer funds. As a substitute, withdrawals and asset security stay tied to Ethereum’s underlying infrastructure.
Base Stage 1
He defined that this strategy matches inside the Stage 1 standards outlined by analytics platform L2Beat, the place even a community outage can not compromise customers’ proper to reclaim their property.
He said:
“Stage 1 implies that a safety council with a 75% vote can override the onchain code. Nevertheless, stage 1 additionally requires {that a} quorum-blocking (>=26%) portion of the council sits exterior the org that’s managing the L1. Therefore, the org can not unilaterally censor or steal by way of a safety council vote, so they don’t seem to be a custodian.”
Notably, L2Beat identifies Base as considered one of solely eight initiatives that qualify for Stage 1 standing, underlining Buterin’s declare that the chain features as an extension of Ethereum’s belief mannequin moderately than a indifferent service.
In response to Buterin, calling Layer 2s “non-custodial” is greater than a branding train. Their safety derives from Ethereum’s sensible contract logic, which ensures Layer 1 finally controls the motion of funds.
This safeguard makes it not possible for operators to misappropriate property or selectively block withdrawals. He pressured that these protections should not summary theories however concrete technical pathways already written into Ethereum’s base layer.
Base dominance
Buterin’s endorsement comes as Base cements itself as one of the vital energetic L2 networks.
Information from L2Beat reveals the chain now handles round 160 transactions per second, amounting to almost 360 million transactions up to now month.
When it comes to whole worth locked (TVL), Base has additionally climbed to almost $15 billion, second solely to Arbitrum’s roughly $20 billion.
A lot of this progress stems from Coinbase’s backing of the layer-2 resolution. The $85 billion agency gives technical help and has prolonged its model credibility as the most important US-based crypto change to Base.
This involvement has helped amplify Base’s adoption, making it a dominant participant within the Layer 2 panorama.

