Coinbase CEO clarifies why company has no plans for Base token
In a recent interview with Decrypt, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong confirmed the companyโs decision not to issue a token for its layer-2 network, Base.
Contrary to previous speculations and a statement by Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal, Armstrong emphasized that there are no plans to create a Base network token. This announcement is significant as it reflects Coinbaseโs strategic approach towards its layer-2 network development and its interaction with the broader crypto ecosystem.
Base, which launched in August, has shown remarkable growth, becoming the third-largest layer-2 network in terms of total value locked (TVL), boasting around $500 million in TVL and a million interacting wallets since its inception.
Layer-2 networks, built atop existing blockchain systems like Ethereum (ETH), offer faster and cheaper transaction capabilities, addressing scalability issues inherent in base layer networks. The rapid ascension of Base in this competitive landscape is noteworthy and highlights its potential impact on the cryptocurrency market.
Armstrongโs vision for Base extends beyond Coinbaseโs proprietary interests. He envisions Base as a community-driven project, interoperable with the wider crypto ecosystem. Baseโs foundation on the Optimism (OP) stack on Ethereum is a strategic move to ensure this broad compatibility and community engagement. This approach, coupled with Coinbaseโs backing, aims to establish trust and stability in the network.
Moreover, Armstrong has set ambitious performance targets for Coinbase transactions, aiming for an โunder one second and one centโ average transaction time. Achieving these objectives will necessitate substantial improvements to Base and broader integration of layer-2 solutions across Coinbaseโs platform.
Armstrong elaborates, โThatโs not just with Base,โ adding, โThatโs things like integrating the Lightning Network on Bitcoin, itโs integrating other layer-1s that are very fast, like Solana.โ He notes that currently, about 7% of transactions through Coinbase use layer-2, with internal goals set to โget that number way upโ as part of a โmulti-year effort.โ
Armstrong acknowledges the burgeoning interest from other exchanges in developing their layer-2 solutions, like Kraken and OKX, but cautions against a fragmented landscape where each application operates its own layer-2 network. He advocates for consolidation around a few layer-2 networks to optimize efficiency and interoperability in the crypto space.