Base Restores Network Stability After Late-January Transaction Delays

Highlights:

• Base has restored the network after engineers reversed a configuration change that slowed transactions.
• Users saw delayed or dropped transactions on January 31 while the network continued producing blocks.
• Coinbase is tightening monitoring and security to catch transaction issues earlier during infrastructure changes.

Base, Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 network, confirmed that operations returned to normal after users reported transaction delays on January 31. Engineers said the network stabilized after reversing a recent infrastructure configuration change. Internal surveillance revealed that transaction inclusion was restored to normal levels. The developers also confirmed that block production did not stop during the disruption. The update resolved missing and delayed transaction reports across applications.

On Jan 31, Base experienced elevated transaction drops and inclusion delays. A configuration change to transaction propagation caused the block builder to repeatedly fetch transactions that couldn't be executed due to rapidly rising base fees.

We mitigated the issue by rolling… https://t.co/PHaaoYAm7Z

— Base Build (@buildonbase) February 4, 2026

The Base group reported it had verified the fix by multiple days of performance testing. These checks targeted transaction flows at times of high demand and fee volatility. After the rollback, engineers noted consistency in confirmation times. The network was active as teams monitored transaction behavior. Base announced that it will release a root cause analysis and a public postmortem.

Developers explained that the rollback stopped inefficient transaction handling. Transaction selection returned to normal behavior after the change reversal. The team said brief congestion may still occur during demand spikes. However, engineers confirmed that transaction processing now operates within expected parameters. Base shared the update after completing internal validation.

Transaction Delays Hit Base During Late January

Users began reporting transaction delays during periods of high network activity on January 31. Submitted transactions waited longer than usual for inclusion in blocks. Some transactions dropped entirely during peak congestion. Developers received reports from several applications deployed on the network. The delays became more visible as base fees increased rapidly.

Base is currently experiencing intermittent transaction inclusion delays on mainnet. Users will notice higher than usual latency for transaction inclusion.

Blocks continue to be produced and transactions are being processed.

This is our top priority and we’ll update our status…

— Base Build (@buildonbase) January 31, 2026

Despite the slowdown, Base continued producing blocks during the incident. Smart contracts remained active, and state updates progressed as expected. However, confirmation latency affected user experience during busy periods. Engineers said the issue did not result in a chain halt. The team began investigating recent infrastructure changes shortly after reports emerged.

The disruption was subsequently attributed by developers to the transaction processing in volatile fee conditions. Transactions made it into the mempool and could not get executed. This action augmented processing pressure in times of congestion. The engineers concentrated their review on the behavior of transaction propagation. That examination served to isolate the cause.

In a related development, Coinbase’s chief legal officer, Paul Grewal, addressed questions around Base’s role in blockchain last year. Paul confirmed that Base functions as a blockchain infrastructure, not a securities exchange. Grewal explained that transaction matching occurs inside applications, not at the Layer-2 level.

Base Restores Network Through Pipeline And Monitoring Updates

Base said the configuration rollback stopped the feedback loop inside the transaction pipeline. After the change reversal, transaction selection stabilized. Network metrics then returned to normal ranges. Engineers confirmed that the fix resolved the immediate issue. The Base network also detailed specific improvements to lessen future disruption. The group will optimize the transaction chain and minimize unneeded peer-to-peer overhead. Under heavy load, developers will adjust mempool queue behavior. The work will take approximately one month.

The team reported that it will enhance monitoring and alerting in future rollouts of infrastructure. The purpose of these systems is to identify problems in transactions at an earlier stage. Engineers indicated that faster alerts will facilitate faster responses during network changes.

Alongside infrastructure work, Coinbase recently launched a $5 million security program tied to Base and on-chain products. The program operates through Cantina, which allows researchers to report technical vulnerabilities. Coinbase said it will assess reports based on reproducibility and potential impact. The aim is to diagnose problems before they become operational risks.