Chiara Bianchi
Base Network, a Layer 2 (L2) scaling solution built on Ethereum and backed by Coinbase, has officially reached Stage 1 EVM roll-up status, marking a pivotal advancement in its development. According to L2Beat, this progression from Stage 0 signifies a deeper level of network decentralization, bringing Base in line with Ethereum’s long-term scalability goals.
The upgrade came after Base successfully established its Security Council, a crucial requirement for Stage 1 classification. This council satisfies decentralization thresholds and ensures that the underlying proof system maintains adequate control, reducing dependence on centralized actors.
What It Takes to Become a Stage 1 Ethereum Roll-Up
Achieving Stage 1 isn’t just symbolic — it’s a technical and governance benchmark. Base fulfilled a series of demanding requirements including:
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Deploying a robust fraud-proof system
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Onboarding at least five independent fraud-proof agents
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Enabling users to exit the protocol without relying on centralized operators
By checking these boxes, Base now joins leading Ethereum L2s like Arbitrum One, OP Mainnet, and Unichain in the elite Stage 1 category.
Base Surpasses Rivals in Speed and Total Value
Despite being newer to the scene, Base has quickly established itself as a dominant player in the Ethereum Layer 2 ecosystem. With over $11.77 billion in Total Value Secured (TVS), Base slightly edges out Arbitrum’s $11.1 billion and far surpasses others like OP Mainnet.
What really sets Base apart is its speed. L2Beat reports a Time-to-Finality of just 55 seconds, outperforming Arbitrum (1 minute) and OP Mainnet (5 minutes). As L2 competition grows fiercer, performance metrics and decentralization standards will likely define future winners.
Vitalik Buterin’s Vision: Stage 1 or Bust
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has made it clear: only Stage 1 roll-ups will receive his endorsement moving forward. This announcement has increased pressure on L2s to prioritize decentralization, fraud prevention, and user autonomy.
Base’s milestone aligns directly with Buterin’s broader goals, shared by Ethereum Foundation Executive Director Ava Miyaguchi, to build a more secure, efficient, and scalable Ethereum network.
Ethereum Upgrades Fuel L2 Growth
The progress seen with Base reflects the wider impact of recent Ethereum upgrades like Dencun, which significantly enhanced Layer 2 performance. Upcoming developments like the Pectra upgrade are expected to push scalability even further.
Meanwhile, Ethereum community leaders like Uniswap’s Hayden Adams are urging aggressive L2 development to stay competitive with high-throughput chains like Solana.
