Base, the Coinbase-backed Ethereum Layer 2 network, has deployed its Azul upgrade on testnet, with mainnet activation set for May 13, 2026. The release is the network’s first independent upgrade after consolidating around its own streamlined stack, and it is aimed at improving decentralization, performance, and the developer experience.
According to Base, Azul has already improved network reliability, cutting empty blocks by about 99%. Internal testing also showed the network handling several bursts of 5,000 transactions per second. The figures point to a clear operational target: keep the chain stable while processing heavier traffic.
Multiproofs combine TEE and ZK validation
The central feature in Azul is multiproofs, a validation model that combines trusted execution environment, or TEE, with zero-knowledge proofs in a single system. Either proof type can finalize a transaction on its own. If both proofs match, withdrawals can be processed in as little as one day.
Base said the setup adds another security layer because permissionless ZK proofs can override TEE proofs if inconsistencies appear. In the company’s framing, that pushes the network closer to Stage 2 decentralization, a benchmark commonly used across Layer 2 networks to measure reduced centralized control.
New execution and consensus clients introduced
Azul also moves Base to a single performance-oriented client stack. The main execution client is now base-reth-node, while a new consensus client called base-consensus has been added. The upgrade also aligns Base with the latest execution standards on Ethereum.
For developers, the transition is designed to be light. Base said most existing applications should not require changes, while still gaining from higher throughput and lower operational complexity. That makes the upgrade technical in scope, but not disruptive for most teams already building on the network.
TVL, app count, and stablecoin liquidity keep rising
Base has continued to expand its position among Ethereum Layer 2 networks. Data from DeFiLlama shows the network’s total value locked has reached $4.408 billion, a widely watched measure of capital inflows and ecosystem value in decentralized networks.
The application layer is also growing. Base now supports more than 800 applications and protocols across its ecosystem, spanning DeFi, trading, and consumer-facing products. The source material says daily transaction activity on the network is estimated at over $1 billion, showing usage remains elevated.
Stablecoins remain a major source of liquidity on Base. The network’s total stablecoin market capitalization currently stands at $4.97 billion, close to its all-time high of $5.23 billion reached in January. Even with broader market conditions shifting, demand for dollar-denominated liquidity on the chain has stayed firm.