Base, the Coinbase-incubated Ethereum Layer 2 network, is upgrading its core architecture from optimistic rollups to a zero-knowledge based system, marking a major change in its security design.
The network, which currently has approximately $12 billion in total capital, will use a trusted execution environment (TEE) combined with zero-knowledge proofs to ensure the finality of the chain.
Basic makes ZK jump
With this move, Base becomes the largest Ethereum operator to implement ZK-proofs for finality to date, according to the official press release shared with CryptoPotato. Once deployed to the mainnet, the majority of the Ethereum Layer 2 ecosystem, in terms of total value, daily users, and transaction throughput, is expected to be secured via a TEE supported by ZK proofs generated using Succinct Labs’ SP1 virtual machine.
SP1 is an open-source zkVM from Succinct Labs that can generate concise ZK proofs of arbitrary Rust-based computations. It has witnessed a significant level of adoption among zkVMs in the Ethereum ecosystem and is designed so that rollups, apps, and bridges can integrate ZK-based security without developing a proprietary proof infrastructure.
For Base, this integration essentially shortens the path to one-day finality by eliminating the need for the multi-day challenge period associated with optimistic rollups and instead introducing cryptographic finality. It also aims to provide a “trust-minimized” mechanism to move large amounts of capital back to Ethereum’s mainnet.
In a statement, Wilson Cussak, head of Base Chain, said:
“Base was built to be the home base for everyone in the chain. As the network has grown, so has the need to continue to strengthen the infrastructure that users and developers rely on every day. Expanding Base with ZK-proofs is a meaningful step to deepen the security and resilience of the network.”
The latest development also echoes views previously expressed by Vitalik Buterin, who has described ZK-EVMs as Ethereum’s “endgame” for block validation. He has indicated that such systems could become the dominant method of proof between 2027 and 2030.
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Concerns about market manipulation
In another development, Base recently came under fire after criticism from the community about the way assets gain control of the network. Some users wondered if certain projects will receive behind-the-scenes support. In response to the concerns, Base co-founder Jesse Pollak said the team does not and will not engage in price manipulation or private coordination to push assets toward a specific outcome.
He further explained that such actions would disadvantage other projects, conflict with the principles of open markets and could potentially be illegal. Instead, Pollak said the focus will remain on improving the distribution and visibility of high-value applications, while recognizing there is room to do better in attracting capital and attention to the ecosystem.