Base, the Coinbase-backed EVM chain pitched as Ethereum’s own layer 2, has just received a glowing endorsement from none other than Vitalik Buterin.
In an unprecedented move on social media, Vitalik praised Base as the optimal way to scale, promising a quicker user experience through centralized sequencing while staying securely connected to Ethereum’s protective layer. This setup ensures that funds remain safe from theft or freezing.
Vitalik emphasized that Base does not hold custody of funds, with withdrawals being safeguarded by the Ethereum mainnet code. The L2Beat stage 1 designation further assures users that they are shielded from rug pulls, rather than just being promised security as a marketing tactic. He also dispelled the notion that layer 2 solutions are merely “servers,” pointing to instances where censorship was thwarted and assets remained secure even when operators were offline.
Even Base’s security council structure incorporates external members to prevent any single entity from having unilateral control.
Response from Coinbase CEO Armstrong
Brian Armstrong kept his response succinct, showing his support by simply acknowledging the thread with a brief comment: “Great thread to read through on Base.” This gesture underscores Coinbase’s full endorsement of Vitalik’s viewpoint.
Great thread to read through on @base https://t.co/sdDUHhEhcI
— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) September 23, 2025
On Base’s end, Jesse Pollak detailed how sequencers function: they aggregate and organize transactions, which are then settled by the main layer. Users always have the option to bypass Base entirely and directly interact with Ethereum. Pollak also noted that Base is currently operating under stage-1 decentralization, featuring permissionless block proposals, while progress towards stage 2 is underway.
Validating Base’s Credibility
The key takeaway is that Base is not a custodial sidechain or a disguised exchange. It stands as Ethereum’s infrastructure designed to scale without compromising trust. With Vitalik’s endorsement and Armstrong’s amplification, any doubts regarding Base’s legitimacy seem to have been put to rest.
