Coinbase’s Base network has opened its mainnet to builders, allowing them to deploy contracts and test the platform’s functionality, as stated in a blog post by the development team on July 13. This move precedes the public launch of the network, which is scheduled for August. The Base network, positioned as a layer-2 solution for Ethereum, utilizes the OP Stack software developed by Optimism.
The announcement of the Base network earlier this year was met with enthusiasm within the Ethereum community, as it was seen as a significant vote of confidence for the Ethereum ecosystem. With the recent unveiling of the mainnet, two operational block explorers and an official RPC node are now available for reading data and transmitting transactions. Since its launch on July 2, the network has already processed over 1 million transactions, indicating its robustness and scalability.
To facilitate the transition of Ether (ETH) from Ethereum to the Base network for gas fee payments, an official “OptimismPortal” or Base bridge contract has been deployed. However, developers must note that the bridge does not yet have a web-based user interface, limiting its accessibility to command-line interfaces or script execution. The team specified that the availability of a bridge UI will be reserved for the upcoming public launch phase, urging developers to refrain from launching their own UIs until then.
Builders engaging with the Base network during this initial phase have the opportunity to mint a commemorative non-fungible token (NFT) called “Base is for builders.” Additionally, developers who deploy their contracts to the network and complete a form on the project’s website will receive a “Genesis Builder NFT” as a reward.
Base’s collaboration with Optimism Labs aims to establish a future “Superchain,” combining the functionalities and security features of both networks. This Superchain concept, which brings together multiple interconnected networks, may face competition from zkSync’s “Hyperchains,” which share similar characteristics and are under development.
With its launch of the mainnet for builders, Coinbase’s Base network demonstrates progress in fostering Ethereum’s scalability and usability. As the public launch approaches, anticipation grows for the wider adoption and user onboarding set to take place in August.