Why Base
Base is an Ethereum L2 designed for sub-second, sub-cent transactions on a permissionless platform with first-class developer tooling and built-in distribution.
At a glance
Section titled “At a glance”- Open and inexpensive. Base is a globally accessible network offering 1-second confirmations and transactions that cost less than a cent.
- First-class tooling. Builders ship onchain experiences across AI, social, media, and entertainment with a mature developer stack.
- Funding for builders. Base has issued grants to over 1,000 builders, with more on the way.
- Distribution channels. Apps reach users through official Base distribution surfaces.
A platform for new applications
Section titled “A platform for new applications”Base is a global onchain economy of people, builders, and businesses building the next iteration of the open internet. The chain is engineered so developers can:
- Concentrate on real user problems
- Ship apps that scale globally by default
- Onboard new users in a single click
- Take payments from anyone, anywhere
It is fast, inexpensive, and permissionless — anyone can build on or use applications running on Base.
The network has emerged as a hub for new use cases across media, entertainment, social, and AI. Clanker, an autonomous AI agent operating on Base, generated more than $13 million in revenue in its first three months. Base is structured so developers retain more of the upside their products create.
Conventional app distribution often forces developers to give up 30% of revenue to marketplaces. Those marketplaces can also drive practices that work against users — selling personal data, demanding identity disclosures, or denying access at will. A user in Nairobi, for example, may be locked out of many U.S.-based fintech services entirely.
Onchain finance changes that math. Apps such as Moonwell make financial services available directly from a phone, anywhere in the world. A user in Nairobi gets the same access as a user in the United States, opening up opportunities that did not previously exist.
Developer tooling
Section titled “Developer tooling”Developers pick Base for:
- An always-on, internet-speed payment rail with global reach
- Per-transaction costs that are typically below a cent
- A deep developer toolchain
Apps on Base ship in hours instead of days or weeks, thanks to a broad set of tools — many of them open source. Two builders working from a garage can again credibly create a major business.
Tools that make this practical:
- Base Account. Onboard users quickly and securely without seed phrases.
- Coinbase Developer Platform. Specialized services for onchain builders, including free node software, sponsored transactions, and tooling to refine your app.
- Basenames. More than human-readable addresses — Basenames are the front door to a builder’s onchain profile.
- Verifications. Power tailored experiences for users with verified credentials.