Base Azul is live on mainnet. The upgrade gives Coinbase’s Ethereum layer 2 a new proof system and Base-native clients.
Summary
- Base Azul brings TEE and ZK proofs to reduce withdrawal finality to one day potentially.
- Node operators must move to base-reth-node and base-consensus after older clients lose Azul support now.
- Base reports 5,000 TPS bursts and 99% fewer empty blocks after client stack changes recently.
Base announced that Azul is live on mainnet after months of testing. It is the network’s first independent upgrade since Base started moving toward its own stack.
Base documents list the mainnet activation for May 28, 2026, at 18:00 UTC. The update changes proofs, clients, and Ethereum upgrade features.
The network said Azul makes Base “faster and more secure.” That claim refers to a multiproof system. It combines trusted execution environment proofs and zero-knowledge proofs.
Under the system, either proof can finalize a proposal on its own. Base says withdrawals can finish in “as little as one day” when both systems agree.
Multiproofs target Base decentralization
The multiproof design reduces reliance on one proof path. If a zero-knowledge proof conflicts with a permissioned TEE proof, the ZK proof can override it.
That setup gives Base another step toward Stage 2 decentralization. It also supports a safer route for faster withdrawals between Base and Ethereum.
The full effect will depend on live network use. Base is still moving toward a final design based on stronger zero-knowledge proving.
Azul also adds Ethereum Osaka execution-layer changes, including the CLZ opcode and repricing updates. Base said most application developers should not need large code changes.
New Base clients replace older node software
The upgrade matters most for infrastructure teams. Node operators running older software must migrate to Base-native clients to stay in sync.
Azul moves Base to base-reth-node as its execution client. It also adds base-consensus as its consensus client.
Base documents say op-node, op-geth, op-reth, nethermind, and kona no longer support the upgrade. That makes migration required for affected operators.
Operators already using OP Reth through the Base node package can update without a full re-sync. Others may need to start again with base-reth-node.
Base says the new stack cut empty blocks by about “99%.” The count fell from nearly 200 per day to about two.
The network also reported several bursts of “5,000 transactions per second.” Those figures are internal network claims and should be read as reported results.
Base plans more upgrades after Azul
The Azul launch follows earlier crypto.news coverage on faster withdrawals and stronger proof security. The same reporting thread noted Base’s move toward its own stack.
Base still has more upgrades planned. The next releases are expected to focus on performance and user experience.
Native account abstraction is also on the roadmap. That change could make wallets and transactions easier for users over time.
The main angle for users is simple. Base wants its Coinbase-backed Ethereum layer 2 to become faster and less dependent on one proof system.
