Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong declared Base as the leading blockchain for trading, payments, and artificial intelligence (AI) agents on April 23, 2026, as the layer-2 network maintains its position as the largest Ethereum rollup by total value locked (TVL). Base commands roughly 46% of all Ethereum L2 decentralized finance TVL, outpacing both Arbitrum and Optimism across key metrics.
Three Defining Verticals: Trading, Payments, and Agents
Armstrong highlighted trading, payments, and AI agents as Base's core verticals. On-chain data shows that Base has consistently led in daily active wallets, decentralized exchange volumes, and net inflows since 2025, even as competing networks shed users after incentive cycles ended. Built on the OP Stack and incubated by Coinbase, Base launched in August 2023. Coinbase has committed to storing more of its corporate and customer USDC reserves on the chain, reinforcing its payment-grade infrastructure credentials.
The upcoming PACE Act in the US, if passed, would push the Federal Reserve to open its payment systems to non-banks and crypto firms, potentially accelerating Base's adoption as a payments rail. Armstrong separately stated that stablecoins are 'the best form of money' and are heading to the UK, positioning Base as a regulated stablecoin corridor across major jurisdictions.
The Agent Economy and Regulatory Landscape
The AI agent angle is forward-looking: Base has become the preferred chain for autonomous agents handling portfolio execution and real-time payment routing, thanks to low fees and deep integration with Coinbase's developer ecosystem. Circle and OSL have already expanded USDC access in Asia, complementing Base's payment thesis.
In the US, the SEC faces mounting pressure to formalize DeFi rules, which will define how agent and payment infrastructure on Base is regulated. Armstrong stopped short of providing specific metrics, but on-chain data largely supports his claim without them.