- Base announced February 18, 2026, its evolution to a unified, Base-operated tech stack consolidated in the base/base GitHub repository.
- The shift targets six hard forks per year—doubling the prior cadence—for quicker, lower-risk protocol upgrades.
- Node operators must migrate to the Base client in coming months; users and developers face no immediate changes, with full OP Stack compatibility maintained short-term.
- Optimism’s OP token fell nearly 4% in the 24 hours after announcement; Base holds approximately $3.85 billion in TVL.
- The protocol remains public and open-source, with alternative implementations encouraged and Base staying a Stage 1 rollup.
Coinbase-incubated Ethereum layer-2 network Base is asserting greater control over its infrastructure with a significant technical pivot announced on February 18, 2026.
In its official blog post titled “A new, unified stack for Base Chain,” the team detailed the move away from reliance on Optimism’s OP Stack and scattered external dependencies toward a single, internally optimized codebase at base/base.
The primary goals include reducing coordination overhead and enabling a faster shipping cadence of six smaller hard forks annually. This approach simplifies the protocol specification and focuses development squarely on Base’s scaling needs, including ambitions to reach 1 gigagas per second.
“Today, the code operating various components of Base, such as the sequencer, is owned by multiple teams and spread across multiple repositories, which adds coordination and maintenance overhead,” the blog states. “Our unified solution, base/base, built on open-sourced components such as Reth, allows us to dramatically simplify the number of components, by optimizing them directly for our use case.”
No immediate action is required for users or developers, as Base will continue supporting existing RPCs and OP Stack specifications. However, node operators will need to transition to the official Base client over the next few months to remain compatible with upcoming hard forks.
The first major milestone, Base V1, will introduce Fusaka support and replace optimistic proofs with Base-specific TEE and ZK proofs. Subsequent hard forks will further distance the network from Optimism while aligning with Ethereum upgrades such as Glamsterdam.
Market reaction included a roughly 4% drop in Optimism’s OP token within 24 hours, according to CoinDesk reporting. Base currently secures approximately $3.85 billion in total value locked, positioning it among the largest Ethereum L2s.
Optimism Labs responded constructively: “We’re grateful for our three-year partnership with Base, and proud to have helped it become one of the most successful Layer 2 deployments in history,” a spokesperson told CoinDesk, confirming continued enterprise support.
Base Head of Product Wilson Cusack emphasized the autonomy benefits, highlighting the ability to ship improvements more frequently and focus resources on scaling. The network will add an independent signer to its security council and keep the protocol fully public, inviting alternative client implementations.
While the announcement centers on technical evolution, it occurs against a backdrop of prior signals from Base leadership regarding exploration of a potential native token, though no new details were shared.
The move underscores shifting dynamics in the competitive L2 landscape, where leading chains seek greater independence while maintaining interoperability with Ethereum.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute advice of any kind. Readers should conduct their own research before making any decisions.
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