Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently stepped forward to staunchly defend Base, a prominent Layer 2 (L2) solution, against a wave of "centralization" criticisms. The debate, primarily unfolding across crypto social platforms, questioned Base's operational integrity and its classification as a potentially unregulated securities exchange, prompting Buterin to clarify the L2's fundamental security properties.
Debunking Centralization Claims
The core of the criticism revolved around Coinbase's role as Base's primary sequencer operator, leading some to label Base an "unlicensed securities exchange" with centralized control over transaction ordering. Critics, including economists, suggested that despite decentralized settlement on Ethereum, Base's sequencer layer warranted regulation. Buterin, however, firmly dismissed these claims, asserting that Base operates "the right way" and fundamentally cannot "steal users' funds." He clarified that Base is non-custodial, meaning users retain full control over their assets and can withdraw them directly via the Ethereum mainnet, even if the L2 itself were to shut down. This inherent security, Buterin emphasized, is a concrete property protecting users from being "rugged."
Acknowledging Nuance and Future Trajectory
Buterin further contextualized Base's security by highlighting its "stage 1" rating by L2 Beat, aligning it with other established L2s like Optimism and Arbitrum, which signifies that users cannot lose their assets. While critics pointed out the potential for L2 security councils to override on-chain code and lock funds, Buterin acknowledged this possibility but countered that external voting powers prevent total control, reinforcing their non-custodian status. Amidst this technical debate, Base has seen impressive growth, with its Total Value Locked (TVL) surging significantly. Jesse Pollak, Base's creator, reiterated the platform's commitment to further decentralization, actively working towards advancing Base to "stage 2" to enhance its block building decentralization and overall resilience.
