Base’s “Azul” upgrade is now live on mainnet, marking a major step in the Coinbase-backed L2’s drive for speed, security and independence.
What went live
- Activation: May 28, 2026 at 18:00 UTC. Base said Azul is the network’s first independent upgrade since it began moving to its own stack.
- Core change: a new multiproof system that combines trusted execution environment (TEE) proofs with zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs, plus Base-native clients and some Ethereum execution-layer updates.
Why it matters
- Faster withdrawals: When both TEE and ZK proofs agree, Base says withdrawals between Base and Ethereum can complete in “as little as one day.” Either proof can finalize a proposal on its own, and ZK proofs can override a conflicting TEE proof—reducing reliance on a single proof path.
- Stronger security posture: The multiproof approach is intended to raise security and provide a safer route for quicker withdrawals, while supporting Base’s move toward Stage 2 decentralization.
- Practical impact depends on real-world usage and further ZK proving improvements; Base is still refining its final ZK design.
Client and operator changes
- New default clients: Azul moves Base to base-reth-node as the execution client and base-consensus as the consensus client.
- Deprecated clients: op-node, op-geth, op-reth, nethermind and kona no longer support the upgrade. Node operators running those versions must migrate to the new Base-native clients to stay in sync.
- Migration notes: Operators already using OP Reth through the Base node package can update without a full resync; others may need to resync from scratch.
Ethereum execution-layer updates
- Azul brings Osaka execution changes, including the CLZ opcode and repricing adjustments. Base says most dApp developers should not need substantial code changes.
Performance signals (reported by Base)
- Empty blocks fell by about 99% (from nearly 200 per day to roughly two).
- Base reported internal bursts of up to 5,000 transactions per second; these are reported network figures and not independently verified.
What’s next
- More upgrades are planned, targeting performance and user experience.
- Native account abstraction is on the roadmap, which could simplify wallets and transactions for users over time.
Bottom line
Azul is a significant technical milestone for Base: it introduces a hybrid proof model and a new client stack aimed at faster withdrawals and greater resilience. The upgrade pushes Base further toward an independent stack and decentralization, but the full benefits will hinge on live network behavior and ongoing ZK improvements.
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