What is Base? How to use the Coinbase Layer 2 network.

What Is Base?

1. Base is a Layer 2 blockchain built on Ethereum, developed and operated by Coinbase.

2. It uses Optimistic Rollup technology to bundle transactions off-chain and submit cryptographic proofs to Ethereum Mainnet for finality.

3. The network inherits Ethereum’s security model while significantly lowering gas fees and increasing transaction throughput.

4. Base does not have its own native token; it relies on ETH for gas payments and supports ERC-20 and ERC-721 standards natively.

5. Coinbase maintains infrastructure nodes and contributes to open-source development, though Base operates as a permissionless, decentralized network.

Setting Up a Wallet for Base

1. Users must install a Web3-compatible wallet such as MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, or Trust Wallet.

2. Network configuration requires adding Base Mainnet manually using official RPC parameters: RPC URL is https://base-mainnet.g.alchemy.com/v2/your-api-key, chain ID is 8453, and currency symbol is ETH.

3. Coinbase Wallet users can enable Base with one tap via the “Add Network” option in settings—no manual entry needed.

4. Once configured, users can view Base balances, send ETH, and interact with dApps deployed on the chain.

5. Wallets must hold ETH on Base to cover gas; bridging ETH from Ethereum Mainnet or other chains is required before first use.

Bridging Assets to Base

1. The official Base Bridge is accessible at https://bridge.base.org and supports ETH, USDC, DAI, and select ERC-20 tokens.

2. Users connect their wallet, select source network (Ethereum Mainnet), enter amount, and confirm two transactions: approval and bridge initiation.

3. Optimistic Rollup design means deposits take approximately seven days for full withdrawal finality—but deposits to Base are near-instant.

4. Third-party bridges like Orbiter Finance and Stargate also support Base, offering alternative routing and fee structures.

5. Bridged assets appear in the wallet within seconds and are immediately usable across Base-native DeFi protocols and NFT marketplaces.

Interacting with Base dApps

1. Popular applications include Aerodrome Finance for automated market making, BaseSwap for token swaps, and Friend Tech derivatives protocol.

2. Users access dApps via browser-based interfaces; no account creation is needed—only wallet connection and signature approvals.

3. Transaction speed averages under two seconds for swaps and liquidity provisioning due to high block frequency and low congestion.

4. Smart contract interactions follow standard Ethereum patterns: users review function calls, approve token allowances, and confirm gas estimates before execution.

5. Developers deploy contracts using Foundry or Hardhat tooling, compiling Solidity code compatible with the EVM and verifying sources on Base Explorer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I stake ETH directly on Base?A: No. Base does not support native staking. ETH held on Base functions solely as gas and liquidity—it cannot be staked without bridging back to Ethereum or using external liquid staking protocols.

Q: Is my private key stored by Coinbase when using Base?A: No. Coinbase does not hold or manage user private keys. Base is non-custodial; wallet control remains entirely with the user regardless of interface choice.

Q: Are Base transactions visible on Etherscan?A: No. Base transactions appear only on https://basescan.org. Etherscan indexes Ethereum Mainnet exclusively; Base has its own block explorer maintained by Blockscout.

Q: Does Base support account abstraction (ERC-4337)?A: Yes. Base has integrated native account abstraction support since launch, enabling smart contract wallets, batched transactions, and sponsored gas models for end users.