Base Breaks Free from Optimism's Infrastructure with Consolidated Codebase

Base, a Coinbase-backed Ethereum Layer 2 network, is moving away from Optimism's OP Stack infrastructure. The decision aims to reduce Base's reliance on external dependencies that powered its blockchain since its August 2023 launch.

The change involves consolidating the codebase into a single repository built on open-source components, including Reth. This move will increase Base's hard fork schedule from three to six per year and add an independent signer to replace Optimism's position in the Base Security Council.

Optimism's OP token declined 4% in the 24 hours following the announcement. Base currently holds $3.85 billion in total value locked, making it the largest blockchain in what was the OP Stack Superchain ecosystem.