Coinbase-incubated Ethereum Layer 2 network Base has deployed its "Azul" upgrade on testnet, marking the network's first independent upgrade ahead of a planned mainnet activation on May 13. The core innovation is a new multiproof system designed to advance decentralization and significantly speed up withdrawal finality for users.
The Azul upgrade introduces a hybrid proof model that combines trusted execution environment (TEE) proofs with zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs. According to the Base team, either proof type can independently finalize a transaction proposal. However, when both proofs agree, the system can reduce withdrawal finality time to as little as one day, addressing a key user friction point on Layer 2 networks. The design includes a critical governance feature: if the two proof types conflict, permissionless ZK proofs can override the permissioned TEE proofs, giving the more open system the final say.
Beyond the multiproof system, the upgrade consolidates Base's client stack, replacing multiple legacy clients with a single execution client (base-reth-node) and a new consensus client derived from Kona (base-consensus). This architectural simplification has already yielded performance gains during testing, including sustained transaction bursts of 5,000 transactions per second (TPS) and a 99% reduction in empty block production—from around 200 daily blocks to just about two.
The Azul upgrade also aligns Base with Ethereum's Osaka execution-layer specifications, ensuring better compatibility for developers. The network emphasizes that this upgrade is a step toward its long-term goal of full zero-knowledge proving with near-instant finality, while currently strengthening its position within the Coinbase ecosystem and the broader OP Stack framework.
