Base Hits Stage 1 Decentralization—Now the 10th L2 to Cross the Threshold
Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 joins an elite club of scaling networks that have ditched their training wheels. Not bad for a chain that launched with ’temporary’ centralized elements—just don’t ask how ’temporary’ those Wall Street-backed validators really are.
Why it matters: Stage 1 means users can now exit the chain without permission—a bare minimum for any network pretending to care about self-custody. Base follows Optimism, Arbitrum, and seven others in hitting this checkpoint.
The catch? Full decentralization (Stage 2) requires a functioning fraud-proof system—something most L2s keep ’roadmapping’ like a vaporware ICO. But hey, at least your funds aren’t literally trapped anymore. Progress!
Stage 1
Stage 1 Decentralization, as described by Ethereum (ETH) co-founder Vitalik Buterin’s framework for rollup decentralization, represents an intermediate phase where permissionless fault proofs are live and critical network upgrades require approval from a decentralized set of stakeholders.
According to L2Beat, Base is now the 10th blockchain to achieve at least Stage 1 in decentralization out of the.
The post noted that this stage moves Base beyond a centralized operator model, reducing reliance on single entities to verify the network’s state or govern smart contract upgrades.
Base stated that reaching Stage 1 enhances infrastructure certainty for developers, creates a more resilient network without a single point of failure, and opens network security participation to a broader group of actors.
Fault proofs and Security Council
Base’s first fault proofs were deployed on its mainnet in October 2024. In collaboration with Optimism, Base adopted the OP Stack Fault Proof System, allowing users to withdraw funds from Base permissionlessly to the Ethereum mainnet without relying on centralized operators.
The open challenge mechanism introduced during this process ensures that the decentralized validation process can correct faulty or fraudulent claims about the network state.
The second milestone was decentralizing upgrade authority through the formation of the Security Council. It includes independent organizations tasked with governing smart contract changes.
The council structure ensures that no single entity can unilaterally execute upgrades, distributing operational authority across diverse participants and adding a layer of security to network governance.
Complete decentralization
Base outlined that its following objectives include deploying multiple proof systems to strengthen security and further decentralize validation processes.
Among the options under exploration are zero-knowledge-based fault-proof systems, which complement existing optimistic proofs and broaden the network’s verification mechanisms.
Advancing toward Stage 2 of decentralization remains a stated goal. At Stage 2, no group of actors would be able to post a state root other than the outcome produced by the system’s code, except in cases involving pre-defined bug protocols.
Base aims to continue reducing central points of control, including empowering the Security Council with the tools necessary to independently detect and adjudicate system faults.
