Optimism Collective's Revenue Model Crumbles with Loss of Key Contributor
The Optimism Collective's revenue model has been severely impacted by the departure of its largest contributor, Base, which transitioned away from the OP Stack on February 18, 2026. In January 2026, Base provided approximately 90% of all Superchain sequencer income, with the collective collecting 8,387 ETH (worth about $16.4 million) from Base during their partnership.
The remaining Superchain chains, including Zora, Mode, Mint, Unichain, Ink, World Chain, and Soneium, produce a fraction of the revenue generated by Base. This loss directly affects the monthly OP token buyback program, which was designed to create structural demand for the token.
The Optimism Foundation approved a proposal on January 22, 2026, to use 50% of incoming Superchain revenue to buy OP tokens starting in February. However, with Base's departure, the buyback program faces reduced liquidity and decreased efficacy.