Coinbase’s Base Moves Away from Optimism Stack, OP Token Sinks

Coinbase-backed Base announced a strategic shift in its Layer 2 solutions for Ethereum, moving away from the Optimism (OP) stack to a unified in-house technology stack. This significant technological upgrade aims to increase development efficiency and provide greater control over the network's future evolution. The market sentiment was immediately impacted as the Optimism (OP) token experienced a near 20% drop post-announcement, reflecting investor concern about the network's role in the ecosystem. The move to a single codebase named 'base/base' will reportedly result in increased frequency of hard forks – from three to six per year – demonstrating Base's commitment to rapid innovation. Additionally, Base will enhance its decentralization efforts and is set to introduce improved security features and data availability solutions. While the transition to the new stack is underway, Base ensures compatibility with existing specifications, promising no disruptions to users and developers. The industry views this as a part of a larger trend among Layer‑2 networks prioritizing autonomous control and agility. Despite the immediate market reaction, Base's upgrade is intended to offer a more streamlined and secure experience for all stakeholders in the ecosystem.