Morning Minute: Base Breaks Up With Optimism
Decrypt
by Tyler WarnerFebruary 20, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Crypto giant Coinbase’s Base chain has officially severed ties with Optimism, a move that marks a significant shift in the blockchain landscape. In a bold departure, Base announced it is transitioning away from Optimism’s technology stack to develop an entirely in-house codebase called base/base. This change positions Base to take full control of its core infrastructure, including sequencers and proofs, which were previously reliant on third-party systems. The decision has sent shockwaves through the crypto community, with Optimism’s native token, OP, dropping as much as 20% in response.
The move was driven by Base’s desire for greater independence and economic self-reliance. Historically, Base contributed over 90% of the revenue for the OP Stack Superchain, a significant portion of which flowed to the Optimism Collective rather than directly benefiting Coinbase or its users. By developing its own stack, Base aims to redirect these earnings toward its ecosystem and potentially lay the groundwork for the long-rumored BASE token launch later in 2026. The new technology will replace Optimism’s optimistic rollup proofs with Base-specific TEE/ZK (Threshold Execution Environment/Zero-Knowledge) proofs, enhancing security and scalability.
This transition represents a strategic pivot for Base, which initially relied on existing frameworks to quickly establish itself as the dominant Layer 2 chain by transaction volume. With over $3.85 billion in total value locked (TVL) and a substantial user base, Base’s shift toward independence positions it to better align its economic incentives with its
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Originally published on Decrypt on 2/20/2026