Base has launched the Azul upgrade on the testnet, introducing multi-proof and a new client stack, marking the network's first independent upgrade ahead of its planned mainnet launch on May 13.
Azul's core is a multi-proof system that combines Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) proofs with zero-knowledge proofs. Announcement The Base team stated that either proof type alone can finalize a proposal, while agreement between both can reduce the finality time for withdrawals to one day. They also noted that if an permissionless zero-knowledge proof conflicts with a permissioned TEE proof, the permissionless ZK proof can override the latter.
In addition, Base has simplified the underlying software.
Azul uses base-reth-node as the network's sole execution client and introduces the new consensus client base-consensus, based on Kona, as part of a broader effort to enhance performance and simplify operations.
According to protocol, this work has significantly improved network reliability. Base reported that over the past two months, the number of empty blocks has decreased by approximately 99%, from around 200 per day to about 2, while the network has also repeatedly reached peak throughput of 5,000 transactions per second.
This marks a key step for Base, an Ethereum Layer 2 built on the OP Stack and incubated by Coinbase, as it works to strengthen its infrastructure while moving toward its second phase of decentralization.
Azul also aligns Base with Ethereum's latest Osaka execution layer specification, a change designed to enhance the developer experience without requiring major application rewrites.
The team added that most applications require no changes, but node operators and developers using special features may need to prepare before activation.
To stress-test the upgrade before mainnet launch, Base also conducted an audit contest with Immunefi prior to May 4, offering a maximum reward pool of $250,000 for critical vulnerabilities.
Timing is crucial, as Base is now nearing the top of the Layer 2 stack according to several key indicators.
Data from The Block and DefiLlama shows that the network’s stablecoin market cap is approximately $4.98 billion, and its DeFi total value locked is around $4.4 billion, making it one of Ethereum’s largest scaling networks and a major hub for USDC liquidity. Additionally, it has the highest number of active addresses among optimistic rollup networks.
The network is expected to undergo another performance-focused upgrade by the end of June, and a user experience-focused release is planned for around the end of August, with native account abstraction also on the roadmap.