Base Rolls Out Major Enhancements—Here’s How It Transforms Onchain Interaction

• Base has introduced a series of upgrades, including Flashblocks, which boost transaction speeds by 10x, along with Appchains and Smart Wallet Sub Accounts.
• Reinforcing its builder-first approach, Base has launched a hub for developers, offering tools, guides, stories, and resources to support and inspire on-chain innovation.

Base, the Layer-2 blockchain incubated by Coinbase back in 2023, announced several upgrades on its X account today, aimed at enhancing onchain interactions. These improvements focus on boosting transaction speeds, streamlining user experiences, and offering scalable solutions for decentralized applications (dApps).

One of the standout features is Flashblocks, a technology developed in collaboration with Flashbots, a research and development organization dedicated to reducing the effects of Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) on blockchain networks. Flashblocks reduce Base’s effective block times from 2 seconds to a remarkable 200 milliseconds, positioning Base as the fastest Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) chain to date. 

For comparison, Ethereum’s average block time is approximately 12 seconds, highlighting Base’s significant speed advantage. This advancement is achieved through the issuance of partial blocks every 200 milliseconds, offering users early transaction confirmations with built-in revert protection. Flashblocks are currently live on the Base Sepolia testnet, with plans for mainnet deployment in the second quarter.

We’re making Base faster, simpler, and more powerful

– Flashblocks make Base 10x faster
– Appchains allow apps to scale
– Smart Wallet Sub Accounts make coming onchain way simpler for everyone

What are you going to build?https://t.co/OhGSrbLHyK pic.twitter.com/YlS7orqpjh

— Base (@base) February 27, 2025

After analyzing the press release, CNF found that this design draws inspiration from advancements in block propagation and execution, such as Solana’s shreds, which enhance block creation and transaction propagation speeds, and Celestia’s data squares for efficient data availability

Base Appchains: Dedicated Blockspace for Scaling Applications

To meet the scaling demands of high-traffic decentralized applications (dApps), Base has introduced Base Appchains, Layer-3 chains that provide dedicated blockspace, enabling applications to run with greater efficiency and customization.

Powered by the op-enclave framework, Base Appchains deliver immediate state proofs and are backed by enterprise-grade infrastructure, including managed sequencers and nodes. Developers also benefit from customization options, such as custom gas tokens and flexible fee structures, allowing for greater control over application performance.

Early adopters like Blocklords, Super Champs, and Metacade are already leveraging Appchains to support on-chain gaming and other high-throughput applications, demonstrating the potential of this scalable and developer-friendly solution.

Smart Wallet Sub Accounts: Enhancing User Experience

In an effort to simplify onchain interactions, Base has launched Smart Wallet Sub Accounts on its testnet. This feature reduces friction and complexity in the user experience by eliminating multiple wallet pop-ups and manual account management.

With Smart Wallet Sub Accounts, users can manage all their onchain accounts from a single universal wallet, removing the need to juggle assets across multiple apps. Additionally, users can securely fund new accounts with spend permissions, solving the cold start problem for builders and improving accessibility in the DeFi ecosystem.

To support and foster its growing community of developers, Base has launched a platform dedicated to builders. This hub serves as a centralized resource, providing access to tools, documentation, and support, thereby empowering developers to create innovative solutions on the Base network.