Coinbase layer-2 network Base suffers first major outage since launch

Block production on Base abruptly halted for 43 minutes as developers rushed to implement a fix.

Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 network Base has suffered its first major outage since its public launch on Aug. 9.

For approximately 45 minutes on Sept. 5, no new blocks were produced on the Base chain. Its developers first identified the “stalled” block production at 9:36 pm UTC, according to the Base status site. Block production has since resumed. 

“We identified a delay in block production due to part of our internal infrastructure requiring a refresh. We’ve implemented a fix and are seeing widespread recovery,” Coinbase told Cointelegraph in response to a query on the outage. 

Base said it is continuing to monitor the chain for further issues. 

Matt Willemsen, head of research at crypto education platform Collective Shift, highlighted the potential concerns of using Ethereum layer 2 networks and warned that they aren’t as “battle tested” as Ethereum’s mainnet.

Coinbase's Base chain just had its first major outage, lasting for 43 minutes. Blocks have just started to be produced again.

Another reminder that using Ethereum L2s (e.g. Arbitrum One, OP Mainnet, zkSync Era, Base) is NOT the same as using Ethereum mainnet, which is more… pic.twitter.com/JbUNQUGNwu

— Matt Willemsen (@matt_willemsen) September 5, 2023

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