Vitalik Buterin Praises Base as Model Ethereum L2 with Security

In a significant public endorsement, Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin has positioned Coinbase’s Base network as a benchmark for how Layer-2 solutions should operate. Buterin’s praise centers on Base’s foundational principle: leveraging some centralized features to enhance user experience while remaining fundamentally secured by Ethereum’s decentralized Layer-1. He explicitly stated that Base is ‘doing things the right way,’ highlighting that the network is an L2 built on top of Ethereum, not a separate, isolated system. This architecture ensures that the robust security and trust assumptions of the Ethereum mainnet ultimately protect user assets.

Central to Buterin’s defense is Base’s non-custodial nature. He stressed that Base cannot block or seize user withdrawals, a critical safeguard that places it in L2beat’s ‘Stage 1’ security classification. This classification is not merely theoretical; it reflects concrete protections where user funds are secured by Ethereum smart contract logic. Buterin pushed back against abstract criticism, pointing to real-world scenarios like the ‘Soneium crisis’ as evidence. In that event, when a Layer-2 faced operational issues, Ethereum’s underlying security mechanisms successfully enabled users to recover their funds, demonstrating the practical value of Base’s design.

Recent concerns about Base have often focused on the role of its sequencer, a component that orders transactions. Jesse Pollak (jesse.base.eth), a key figure in Base’s development, provided a detailed explanation to counter what he termed ‘FUD’ (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt). He clarified that the Base sequencer acts as a transaction coordinator, not a trading engine. Its function is strictly to serialize user transactions on a first-in, first-out basis, compute state updates, and then push these batches onto Ethereum’s mainnet for final settlement.

This design has two crucial implications for decentralization and regulatory posture. First, users are not forced to rely on the sequencer; they retain the ability to bypass it completely by submitting transactions directly to Ethereum validators. This ensures censorship-resistance, a core tenet of decentralized networks. Second, because the sequencer only orders transactions and does not match buy and sell orders like a traditional exchange, it avoids functioning as a trading engine. The actual trading occurs at the application level within smart contracts on decentralized exchanges (DEXs). This distinction is vital, as it alleviates concerns that Base could be perceived as an unlicensed securities exchange.

The practical benefits for users are lower transaction fees and faster confirmations compared to transacting directly on Ethereum Layer-1, all while maintaining a secure link to the mainnet. This efficiency is achieved without compromising the fundamental security guarantees that Buterin emphasized.

Base’s journey is characterized by a clear and ongoing commitment to decentralization. The network has already achieved significant milestones, having reached ‘Stage 1’ on the security rating platform L2beat and implementing permissionless proposals for blocks. These steps demonstrate a tangible reduction in reliance on centralized operators and a move toward a more trust-minimized system.

The development team’s roadmap points toward ‘Stage 2,’ which involves further decentralizing the process of block production. This progression underscores Base’s philosophy of iterative decentralization—starting with a practical, user-friendly solution and methodically enhancing its decentralized credentials over time. Buterin’s endorsement validates this approach, framing Base not as a finished product but as a scaling infrastructure that is correctly extending the global on-chain economy of Ethereum. By providing speed and efficiency without defeating the core principles of decentralization and security, Base aims to solidify its position as a leading Layer-2 solution.