Coinbase’s Ethereum Layer 2, Base to Upgrade to Zero-Knowledge Proofs via SP1

Base, the Coinbase-incubated Ethereum Layer 2 network, is upgrading its core architecture from optimistic rollups to a zero-knowledge-based system in a major shift in its security design.

The network, which currently holds around $12 billion in total capital, will adopt a trusted execution environment (TEE) combined with zero-knowledge proofs to secure chain finality.

Base Makes ZK Leap

With this move, Base becomes the largest single Ethereum operator to implement ZK proofs for finality to date, according to the official press release shared with CryptoPotato. After its deployment on mainnet, the majority of the Ethereum Layer 2 ecosystem, in terms of total value locked, daily users, and transaction throughput, is expected to be secured through 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 succinct ZK proofs of arbitrary Rust-based computation. It has witnessed a significant level of adoption among zkVMs in the Ethereum ecosystem and is designed so that rollups, apps, and bridges can incorporate ZK-based security without developing proprietary proving infrastructure.

For Base, this integration essentially cuts down the path to one-day finality by removing the need for the multi-day challenge period associated with optimistic rollups and introducing cryptographic finality instead. It also aims to provide a “trust-minimized” mechanism for moving large amounts of capital back to Ethereum’s mainnet.

In a statement, Wilson Cussak, Head of Base Chain, said,

“Base is built to be the home for everyone onchain. As the network has grown, so has the need to keep strengthening the infrastructure that users and developers rely on every day. Expanding Base with ZK proofs is a meaningful step to deepen the network’s security and resiliency.”

The latest development also aligns with views previously expressed by Vitalik Buterin, who has described ZK-EVMs as Ethereum’s block validation “endgame.” He has indicated that such systems could become the dominant proving method between 2027 and 2030.

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Market Manipulation Concerns

In a separate development, Base recently came under fire after community criticism around how assets gain traction on the network. Some users questioned whether certain projects receive behind-the-scenes support. Responding to the concerns, Base co-founder Jesse Pollak said the team does not and will not engage in price manipulation or privately coordinate to push any asset toward a specific outcome.

He further explained that such actions would disadvantage other projects, go against the principles of open markets, and could potentially be illegal. Instead, Pollak said the focus will remain on improving distribution and visibility for high-quality applications, while acknowledging there is room to do better in attracting capital and attention to the ecosystem.