Summary
- Base becomes the 10th Layer 2 network to reach Stage 1 Decentralization, as per L2Beat.
- Achieved by deploying fault proofs and forming a decentralized Security Council.
- Fault proofs support permissionless withdrawal and dispute resolution.
- Security Council requires a 75% consensus across Base, Optimism, and 10 independent entities.
- The milestone marks a step away from centralized control, improving resilience and developer trust.
- Base’s next goal: advancing to Stage 2 Decentralization with multiple proof systems.
Base Hits a Key Milestone in Its Decentralization Journey
Base, the Ethereum Layer 2 network developed on the OP Stack, has officially reached “Stage 1 Decentralization.” This milestone, announced in a blog post on April 29, is based on a framework introduced by Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, which defines stages of rollup decentralization. According to L2Beat, Base is now the 10th out of 62 rollups to reach this level.
This advancement marks Base’s transition beyond centralized operation, enabling more trustless and secure network participation.
Fault Proofs: Power to the Participants
One of the core achievements leading to Stage 1 was the deployment of fault proofs on Base’s mainnet in October 2024. These proofs are a cornerstone of decentralized validation, allowing any participant to challenge or propose claims about the network’s state.
In partnership with Optimism, Base implemented the OP Stack Fault Proof System, enabling users to withdraw funds back to Ethereum without relying on centralized intermediaries. An open-source challenger software and economic incentives back this mechanism, ensuring permissionless dispute resolution and a trust-minimized environment.
Security Council: A New Layer of Governance
The second major component is the formation of a decentralized Security Council. This body now oversees all smart contract upgrades on the Base network. To proceed with any upgrade, a 75% consensus is required among Base, Optimism, and 10 independent entities spanning multiple legal jurisdictions.
This governance framework ensures that no single party can unilaterally execute critical changes, making Base’s infrastructure more democratic and robust.
What Stage 1 Really Means
According to Vitalik Buterin’s decentralization scale, Stage 1 represents a significant but intermediate level of decentralization. At this stage, permissionless fault proofs are live, and any major upgrades require approval from a decentralized group of stakeholders.
For developers and users, this brings greater assurance in the platform’s stability, fewer single points of failure, and more avenues for community participation in network governance.
Looking Ahead: Towards Stage 2 Decentralization
Base isn’t stopping here. The network is already exploring the deployment of multiple proof systems, including zero-knowledge-based fault proofs. These would complement existing optimistic systems, further enhancing validation security and decentralization.
The ultimate goal is Stage 2 Decentralization, where only the system’s code can post valid state roots, eliminating manual or centralized interference—except in predefined emergency scenarios.
By continuing to reduce central control and empowering the Security Council with advanced tools for system fault detection, Base aims to lead the future of trustless Layer 2 infrastructure.