Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong declared on April 23, 2026, that Base—the exchange’s incubated Layer-2 network—is the leading blockchain for trading, payments, and artificial intelligence (AI) agents. Currently, Base commands approximately 46% of all Ethereum Layer-2 decentralized finance (DeFi) total value locked (TVL), making it the dominant rollup in the ecosystem, outpacing both Optimism and Arbitrum.
Three Pillars: Trading, Payments, and Agents
Armstrong named trading, payments, and agents as Base’s three defining verticals. He highlighted that Base’s daily active wallets, decentralized exchange (DEX) volumes, and net inflows have consistently outperformed rivals throughout 2025 and into 2026, even as competing networks shed users after incentive cycles concluded. Launched in August 2023 on the OP Stack and incubated by Coinbase, Base has since received commitments from Coinbase to store more corporate and customer USDC reserves on-chain, reinforcing its credentials as payment-grade infrastructure.
PACE Act and Payment Rail Acceleration
The PACE Act, currently under review in the United States, would push the Federal Reserve to open its payment systems to nonbank and crypto firms, potentially accelerating Base’s adoption as a payments rail. Armstrong separately stated that stablecoins are “the best form of money” and that they are heading to the UK, positioning Base as a regulated stablecoin conduit across major jurisdictions. Circle and OSL have already expanded USDC access across Asia, complementing Base’s payment rail thesis.
The Agent Economy: Base’s Structural Edge
The AI agent angle is where Armstrong’s claim is most forward-looking. Base has become the preferred deployment chain for autonomous agents performing onchain tasks such as portfolio execution and real-time payment routing. Low transaction fees and deep integration with Coinbase’s developer ecosystem give it a structural edge over higher-cost alternatives. While Armstrong stopped short of providing specific metrics, onchain data largely makes his case without them.
Regulatory Outlook and Base’s Future
Back in the US, the SEC has been facing mounting pressure to formalize DeFi rules, an outcome that would define how agent and payment infrastructure on Base is regulated going forward. Base recently launched a bridge to Solana, expanding interoperability. With stablecoin payments entering the UK and the PACE Act pending, Base is poised to become a key hub connecting traditional finance with the crypto world.