Base, the Ethereum Layer 2 network incubated by Coinbase, is shifting its core architecture from optimistic rollups to a zero-knowledge-based design in a major update to its security model.
The network, which currently secures roughly $12 billion in total capital, will adopt a trusted execution environment (TEE) paired with zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs to achieve chain finality.
Base Makes ZK Leap
With this transition, Base becomes the largest single Ethereum operator to use ZK proofs for finality to date, according to the official press release. Once deployed on mainnet, a large portion of the Ethereum Layer 2 ecosystem—by total value locked, daily users, and transaction throughput—is expected to rely on a TEE supported by ZK proofs generated with Succinct Labs’ SP1 virtual machine.
SP1 is an open-source zkVM from Succinct Labs that produces succinct zero-knowledge proofs for arbitrary Rust-based computation. It has gained traction across the Ethereum ecosystem and is designed to let rollups, applications, and bridges adopt ZK-based security without building proprietary proving infrastructure.
For Base, integrating SP1 and a TEE shortens the route to one-day finality by eliminating the multi-day challenge period required by optimistic rollups and replacing it with cryptographic finality. The change is intended to create a “trust-minimized” method for moving large amounts of capital back to Ethereum’s mainnet while improving security and transaction finality.
Wilson Cussak, Head of Base Chain, commented on the upgrade:
“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.”
This move also echoes comments from Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, who has described ZK-EVMs as a likely long-term solution for Ethereum block validation. He has suggested that ZK-based proving systems could emerge as the dominant validation method between 2027 and 2030.
Market Manipulation Concerns
Separately, Base faced community criticism over how assets gain visibility and traction on the network. Some users suggested that certain projects might receive behind-the-scenes support to boost their profiles. In response, Base co-founder Jesse Pollak denied any involvement in price manipulation or private coordination to favor specific assets.
Pollak said such practices would be unfair to other projects, contradict open market principles, and could be illegal. He emphasized that the team’s focus remains on improving distribution and visibility for high-quality applications, while acknowledging there is still work to do to attract capital and attention across the ecosystem.