Base's Azul Upgrade: A Leap Toward Decentralization with Multiproof System

Base, the Coinbase-incubated Ethereum layer-2 network, has activated its Azul upgrade on mainnet, introducing a multiproof system and a new client stack as the network advances toward Stage 2 decentralization. Azul marks the first standalone network upgrade Base has executed independently since departing Optimism's Superchain.

Multiproof System Enhances Security

The upgrade's multiproof system pairs trusted execution environment (TEE) proofs with zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs to reduce reliance on any single proof type. Either proof type can finalize a proposal independently, but when both agree, withdrawal finality can be as little as one day. Permissionless ZK proofs can also override permissioned TEE proofs in the event of a conflict, a design Base says moves the chain closer to censorship resistance and full decentralization.

New Client Stack Boosts Performance

Azul also consolidates Base onto a single execution client, base-reth-node, and introduces base-consensus, a new consensus client built on OP Kona. The new client stack has already driven a roughly 99% reduction in empty blocks, from approximately 200 per day to around two per day, and has sustained multiple bursts of 5,000 transactions per second, according to the Base team.

The upgrade adds the CLZ opcode and aligns Base with Ethereum's Osaka execution-layer repricing specifications, which Base said requires no major rewrites for most application developers. Node operators running op-node, op-geth, nethermind, or kona must migrate to the new clients, per the protocol's technical documentation.

Audit and Market Position

Azul was first deployed on testnet in April 2026 ahead of a planned May 13 mainnet activation. An Immunefi audit competition running through May 4 offered a maximum reward pool of $250,000 for critical bug discoveries ahead of the mainnet launch. Base enters the Azul era as one of the largest ETH scaling networks by deposits, holding approximately $4.4 billion in total value locked (TVL) as of late May.

1. Azul introduces a multiproof system combining TEE and ZK proofs for enhanced security.
2. New client stack reduces empty blocks by 99% and supports high throughput.
3. Permissionless ZK proofs can override permissioned TEE proofs, improving censorship resistance.
4. Base holds $4.4 billion TVL, positioning it as a leading Ethereum L2.

Sources: CoinMarketCap Academy