After Ethereum’s big Pectra upgrade went live on May 7, the Base Network is racing ahead to take full advantage of the new tech improvements. In an interview with BeInCrypto, Jesse Pollak, the head of Base and Coinbase Wallet, shared how this upgrade is helping Base handle more transactions and roll out smarter wallets for users.
Doubling the Speed With More Blobs
The Pectra upgrade introduced some exciting features, including EIP-7702 and an increase in the number of “blobs” in each block. In simple terms, blobs are chunks of data that help Ethereum process transactions faster and cheaper. Before Pectra, there were 3–6 blobs per block. Now, that’s jumped to 6–9 blobs.
“This upgrade basically doubles how much data Ethereum can handle for Layer-2 networks like Base,” Pollak explained. “That means twice as many transactions can happen at the same time, while keeping fees low even if lots of people are using the network.”
Base’s Ambitious Goals
Base, which launched in 2023 under Coinbase, has already become a top player in the Ethereum Layer-2 scene. It’s even overtaken Arbitrum as the largest optimistic rollup by total value secured (TVS). For context, TVS measures how much value is safely stored on the network, and Base is currently leading in that area.
Pollak said Base has an ambitious target: to scale up to 250 million gas/second blockspace — a big leap that could transform the network’s capacity and user experience.
This goal matches up with Ethereum’s broader scaling plans. For instance, Ethereum developer Tim Beiko said Pectra is just a step towards even bigger upgrades by the end of the year — potentially 10 times more data capacity compared to earlier upgrades like Dencun.
Smarter Wallets Without Losing Your History
One of the coolest features of Pectra is EIP-7702, which makes it possible to turn a regular Ethereum wallet into a smart wallet — without losing any of your history or assets.
“Before this, you had to create a brand new wallet to enjoy smart wallet features, like easier payments or better security,” Pollak said. “Now, you can just upgrade your current wallet and keep everything exactly as it is.”
Pollak compared this to switching from an old landline to a smartphone without changing your phone number — you get all the modern features, but you don’t have to start from scratch.
Back in August 2024, Pollak shared plans to build a “dream wallet” within the next 6-12 months — one that’s ten times better than current digital or blockchain wallets. Thanks to Pectra, that dream is much closer to reality.
Beyond Pectra: The Road to Fusaka
Pollak also stressed that Pectra is just the beginning. Ethereum is already planning another major upgrade, called Fusaka, to add even more blob capacity and further cut transaction costs.
“Base is a big part of this journey,” Pollak said. “We’ve been working hard to contribute to Ethereum’s open-source and open-standards future. Our goal is to keep making it easier and cheaper for everyone to use crypto.”
Big Growth and Adoption
Since the Pectra upgrade, Base has seen strong growth. According to DeFiLlama, Base’s total value locked (TVL) is now at $3.7 billion — up 21% from $3 billion on May 7. Decentralized exchange (DEX) trading volume has also jumped, showing more trust and excitement from users and developers.
As Pollak sees it, Base’s mission is clear: scale up responsibly, keep costs low, and welcome millions more users to the blockchain world — without making things complicated.
