- Pectra’s 6-9 blobs/block double Ethereum’s L2 throughput; Base targets 250 Mgas/s to scale on-chain transactions.
- EIP-7702 enables smart wallet upgrades without address changes, aligning with Base’s “dream wallet” for seamless user transitions.
Ethereum’s Pectra upgrade, activated on May 7, has unlocked new capabilities for Layer-2 networks, with Coinbase’s Base Network emerging as a primary beneficiary. The upgrade introduces EIP-7702, enabling seamless smart wallet conversions, and expands data throughput to support faster, cheaper transactions. Base’s lead developer, Jesse Pollak, outlined how these changes align with the network’s goal to scale Ethereum’s ecosystem while enhancing user experience.
The Pectra upgrade increases Ethereum’s “blobs per block” — data bundles used by Layer-2 networks — from 3–6 to 6–9. This adjustment effectively doubles the transaction capacity for networks like Base, which rely on Ethereum for data storage and security. Pollak emphasized that this upgrade allows Base to process twice as many transactions per second, maintaining low fees even as activity grows.
“The Pectra upgrade will double Ethereum’s capability to secure L2 transactions, including for Base, from a previous range of 3–6 blobs/block to a new range of 6–9 blobs/block. This means the ecosystem will have the potential to process 2x more transactions per second, keeping fees low as more activity comes onchain,” Pollak
Base, launched in 2023, recently surpassed Arbitrum as Ethereum’s largest optimistic rollup by total value secured. Pollak confirmed the team is targeting 250 Mgas/s blockspace throughput, a technical benchmark that would position Base among the fastest Layer-2 solutions.
“We set an aggressive stretch goal at the beginning of the year to scale Base to 250 Mgas/s blockspace throughput—and we’re sprinting to make that happen,” he stated.
Ethereum developers, including Tim Beiko, suggest further blob expansions later in 2025, potentially increasing capacity tenfold from earlier levels.
Smart Wallets Without the Hassle
EIP-7702, a cornerstone of Pectra, lets users upgrade traditional Ethereum wallets to smart contracts without changing addresses or losing transaction history. Pollak compared the shift to “switching from a landline to a smartphone without changing your number.” This eliminates the need for users to migrate assets manually, lowering barriers to advanced features like gas sponsorship and programmable permissions.
“Pectra’s 7702 enables smart wallet upgrades. Before, people needed to create a new smart wallet to take advantage of this tech, including gas sponsorship and smart permissions. With this upgrade, anyone can upgrade from an existing traditional wallet to a smart wallet, with all of their assets and history, and keep the same wallet address,” Pollak explained.
Base has prioritized wallet innovation since 2024, when Pollak proposed a “dream wallet” combining Web2 convenience with blockchain security. Pectra accelerates this vision, allowing existing wallets to integrate smart functionalities while retaining user identities. Pollak stressed the importance of backward compatibility, ensuring long-term users aren’t left behind as technology evolves.
I sketched out my “dream wallet” that would be 10x better than anything in web2 or onchain today
need to solve a bunch of hard challenges, but i think we can get there in the next ~6-12 months.
onchain is going to be 100x better than online. pic.twitter.com/pMRTarun0H
— jesse.base.eth (@jessepollak) August 13, 2024
Pollak highlighted Fusaka, Ethereum’s next planned upgrade, as another leap forward. Expected to further increase blob capacity, Fusaka will build on Pectra’s foundation to keep transaction costs low amid rising demand. Base actively contributes to Ethereum’s open-source development, collaborating on standards and tools that benefit the broader ecosystem.
Since Pectra’s launch, Base’s total value locked (TVL) has risen 21% to $3.7 billion, while decentralized exchange (DEX) volumes have climbed, signaling growing user engagement. Pollak attributes this growth to Ethereum’s iterative improvements, which reduce costs and complexity for developers and end-users alike.
For Pollak, Pectra represents a step toward onboarding billions to blockchain technology. By balancing scalability with usability, Base aims to democratize access to decentralized applications, from finance to social platforms.
Ethereum (ETH) – Updated Price & Technical Analysis – May 13, 2025
Ethereum is currently trading at $2,590.70, showing a +1.65% daily gain, and continuing its upward trajectory after a strong bounce from the $2,500 level. Over the last 7 days, ETH has surged +17.40%, and over the past 30 days, it’s up an impressive +63.06%, marking one of the strongest performances among large-cap crypto assets. Despite the rally, ETH remains -22.22% year-to-date, showing that current momentum is still part of a broader recovery phase.
Technically, ETH is holding above critical support at $2,500, and as long as that level remains intact, the next resistance zones lie at $2,750 and $2,880, with $3,000 acting as the psychological threshold to watch. Indicators remain bullish, although slight cooling in momentum is visible. A consolidation above $2,550 would be healthy before continuation.
BASE (Base) – Price & Technical Analysis – May 13, 2025
BASE is currently trading at $0.05496, with a +3.79% gain in the last 24 hours, continuing a strong momentum trend. Over the past 7 days, BASE has increased +25.3%, and +46.7% in the last 30 days, establishing it as one of the better-performing micro-cap DeFi tokens this month. Its fully diluted valuation (FDV) stands at $4.04 million, with a 24h trading volume of $17,313, indicating low liquidity but rising market participation.
Technically, BASE is attempting to sustain its breakout above the $0.054–$0.055 zone, with upside targets near $0.061, the lower high from earlier this quarter. A successful close above $0.0551 could confirm continuation toward resistance levels in the $0.062–$0.068 range. The key support level lies at $0.051–$0.052, and failure to hold this range could lead to a short-term pullback.
