Buterin backs Base as ‘right way’ L2 amid sequencer debate
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin pushed back on claims that Base’s centralized sequencer makes it akin to an exchange, calling the Coinbase L2 an extension of Ethereum that uses some centralized features for UX while relying on Ethereum’s decentralized base layer for security. He said Base is non‑custodial and pointed readers to L2BEAT’s standards and prior field tests.
In his post replying to Base co‑founder Jesse Pollak, Buterin framed the role of true L2s as infrastructure built on Ethereum, not marketplaces. He emphasized that Base does not control user funds and that withdrawals remain available even if the L2 operator is offline, consistent with L2BEAT’s Stage‑1 guarantees. He also rejected the notion that L2BEAT is a “compliance authority,” saying its measurements track concrete properties that protect users from being rugged.
Base is doing things the right way: an L2 on top of Ethereum, that uses its centralized features to provide stronger UX features, while still being tied into Ethereum’s decentralized base layer for security,said Vitalik Buterin.
As supporting evidence, he referenced two recent case studies. First, an L2BEAT thread described how users exited dYdX v3 (built on StarkEx) after the venue shut down in 2024 by using an escape hatch: a three‑transaction flow on Ethereum L1 (initialize → finalize → withdraw) backed by a Merkle proof. An open‑source explorer interface helped ordinary users trigger exits, and the mechanism enabled on‑chain withdrawals without the L2’s cooperation.
Second, a thread from gauthamzzz showed a user on Soneium (built on OP Stack) bypassing the sequencer entirely with a forced L1 transaction to buy a token that had been blocked at the L2’s RPC level. The example illustrates censorship resistance: an operator can impede the fast path, but cannot prevent inclusion via Ethereum L1.
Pollak’s explainer, posted after remarks from Coinbase CLO Paul Grewal, set out how Base’s sequencer works today: it collects transactions, orders them roughly FIFO, computes state and batches to Ethereum for final settlement. Crucially, users can also route transactions to Base directly through Ethereum L1, inheriting decentralization and censorship resistance from the validator set. Pollak added that Base has progressed to Stage‑1 decentralization with permissionless block proposals, and is working toward Stage‑2 by further decentralizing block building.
The renewed focus on sequencers follows broader regulatory chatter. In early September, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce raised hypotheticals about centralized “matching engines” and when such systems might resemble exchanges. Coinbase argues that L2 sequencers are general‑purpose infrastructure that batch and relay transactions, not venues that match buyers and sellers, and that the “exchange” label misunderstands their function.
