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Base shifts to in-house stack, reducing reliance on Optimism OP Stack to improve upgrades, security, and autonomy.
Author: Akshat Thakur
February 19, 2026 — Base shifts to in-house stack as the Coinbase-backed Layer 2 network announced plans to reduce reliance on Optimism’s OP Stack and consolidate its infrastructure into a unified codebase. The change will transition Base toward a self-managed development model. The move matters as Base is one of the largest Ethereum Layer 2 networks by activity and value locked, and the shift signals a step toward greater autonomy while maintaining compatibility with the broader Superchain ecosystem.
High Signal Summary For A Quick Glance
antoine.base.eth
@antoine_svc
@WilsonCusack Thanks for the comprehensive article; but what will happen to tokens bridged from Ethereum to Base using the standard bridge from the OP stack 😮 ?
A new, unified stack for Base Chain Excited to share that we are evolving our technical roadmap, consisting of our own spec, code, and infra to accelerate the foundation of Base. This shift gives us the autonomy to ship protocol improvements more frequently and focus our
03:36 PM·Feb 19, 2026
0xRahul
@omw_to_the_moon
@WilsonCusack @base Unclear from the post- is this a separate L1?
A new, unified stack for Base Chain Excited to share that we are evolving our technical roadmap, consisting of our own spec, code, and infra to accelerate the foundation of Base. This shift gives us the autonomy to ship protocol improvements more frequently and focus our
11:45 PM·Feb 18, 2026
⟠
@ryanberckmans
@WilsonCusack Some have asked why this is bullish Controlling their own simplified reth-based stack helps Base move faster, scale faster, and grow faster. Base growth is Ethereum growth - great for Coinbase and ETH.
A new, unified stack for Base Chain Excited to share that we are evolving our technical roadmap, consisting of our own spec, code, and infra to accelerate the foundation of Base. This shift gives us the autonomy to ship protocol improvements more frequently and focus our
06:24 PM·Feb 18, 2026
Base launched publicly in 2023 as an Ethereum Layer 2 network built on Optimism’s OP Stack. The modular framework allowed Base to scale quickly by leveraging shared components such as sequencers, execution clients, and settlement layers.
Backed by Coinbase, Base has grown into one of the most active L2 networks, supporting DeFi, consumer apps, and on-chain social platforms. Its integration with Coinbase products has driven user growth and liquidity into the ecosystem.
Optimism’s OP Stack is part of a broader vision for a Superchain of interoperable L2s, where networks share infrastructure and revenue models while maintaining some independence.
Base shifts to in-house stack by consolidating its infrastructure into a single repository and unified codebase built on the Reth client. The change replaces a fragmented development structure that previously relied on multiple external contributors.
The unified stack is designed to improve development speed, reduce coordination overhead, and allow Base to introduce upgrades more frequently. The team outlined a goal of increasing upgrade cadence to support new features and protocol improvements.
The shift will be gradual, with Base maintaining compatibility with OP Stack standards to avoid disruption for developers and node operators.
Key milestones in Base’s growth and transition to a unified stack architecture
Base goes live using Optimism’s OP Stack, rapidly scaling through deep Coinbase integrations and onboarding millions of users.
Base exceeds $2 billion in total value locked, cementing its position as a dominant Layer 2 and beginning internal optimization efforts.
Base publishes its official blog post and releases the new base/base repository on GitHub, outlining its shift toward a unified stack architecture.
The OP token drops ~25% following the announcement, triggering widespread discussion across X and crypto forums.
Major outlets report on the transition, while the Base team provides additional clarification on compatibility and future plans.
Base plans a gradual rollout of hard forks and may reevaluate revenue sharing and coordination mechanisms within its ecosystem.
Base shifts to in-house stack in part to introduce new proof systems combining trusted execution environments and zero-knowledge technology. These upgrades aim to reduce finality times and improve verification guarantees.
The new architecture will allow Base to evolve beyond traditional optimistic fraud proofs, enabling faster settlement and improved user experience. Security improvements are also expected to reduce reliance on external coordination for updates.
The transition reflects a broader industry trend toward hybrid proof systems in Layer 2 scaling solutions.
The move could affect Base’s revenue-sharing arrangement with Optimism, which currently receives a portion of sequencer fees from OP Stack chains. Base accounts for a significant share of Optimism’s network revenue.
While no immediate changes were confirmed, the shift to a self-managed stack may lead to renegotiation of fee contributions over time. The Base team stated that collaboration with Optimism will continue during the transition.
The change has raised questions about how the Superchain economic model will evolve if major networks adopt more independent stacks.
Following the announcement, Optimism’s OP token declined as investors assessed the potential impact on network revenue. The token later stabilized as both teams emphasized continued collaboration and interoperability.
Community reactions have been mixed, with some developers supporting Base’s move toward autonomy while others raised concerns about fragmentation within the Superchain ecosystem.
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