Coinbase’s Base Network Plans Major Upgrades to Boost Speed, Lower Costs, and Rival Solana
Coinbase’s Layer 2 network Base is preparing for a sweeping set of upgrades aimed at making it one of the fastest and most cost-efficient platforms in the blockchain ecosystem. Designed to scale alongside growing user demand, the enhancements could position Base as a formidable rival to high-performance blockchains like Solana and Sui.
Announced by Base lead Jesse Pollak in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on May 24, the upcoming improvements center on transaction speed, cost-efficiency, and greater decentralization. The roadmap reflects Base’s long-term vision to scale Ethereum while remaining accessible and developer-friendly.
Ultra-Fast Confirmations and Sub-Cent Fees
Among the most ambitious targets: reducing transaction confirmation times to just 200 milliseconds and keeping fees consistently under $0.01. These goals are part of a broader strategy to support more than 200 transactions per second (TPS) in the near term, with an ultimate vision of scaling to 1 million TPS over time.
Decentralization Through Ethereum Layer 1
To reinforce its decentralized foundation, Base is transitioning key elements of its architecture—such as state transition logic—to Ethereum’s Layer 1 via smart contracts. This shift would empower multiple independent developers and validators to participate in the network’s operation and evolution, reducing reliance on any single controlling entity.
Flashblocks and Infrastructure Enhancements
A central piece of the planned transformation is Flashblocks, a new mechanism designed to offer users near-instantaneous “preconfirmed” blocks. Currently in testing on Base’s development network, Flashblocks are expected to roll out to mainnet by summer 2025, promising smoother user interactions and a faster overall experience.
Additionally, Base is significantly expanding its gas throughput. The network is set to double its capacity from 25 million gas per second (Mgas/s) to 50 Mgas/s in Q2 2025, with plans to scale to 250 Mgas/s by year’s end. This would represent a 100-fold increase from Base’s original throughput, enabling the network to handle a dramatically larger volume of transactions without compromising efficiency.
A Direct Challenge to High-Speed Blockchains
These upgrades reflect a bold bid to rival Solana and other high-performance networks that have captured attention with their speed and scalability. While Solana has been praised for its low-latency performance, Base is banking on Ethereum's security and its modular upgrade path to offer a powerful alternative for builders and enterprises alike.