Base unveils Azul upgrade with multiproof and 5,000 TPS

Base launches Azul upgrade on testnet, introducing multiproof security, faster withdrawals, and 5,000 TPS. The upgrade cuts empty blocks by 99% and streamlines infrastructure.

Base, the Ethereum Layer 2 network developed by Coinbase, has launched its Azul upgrade on testnet. This marks Base’s first independent upgrade, with a mainnet activation planned for May 13. Azul introduces a multiproof system that combines trusted execution environment (TEE) proofs with zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs, allowing either proof type to independently finalize proposals. When both proofs agree, withdrawal finality can be reduced to just one day, greatly enhancing user experience. In the event of a conflict, permissionless ZK proofs can override permissioned TEE proofs, boosting network security. Azul also streamlines infrastructure by making base-reth-node the sole execution client and introducing base-consensus, a new consensus client based on Kona. The upgrade has already cut empty blocks by 99% and enables transaction bursts of up to 5,000 per second. Azul aligns Base with Ethereum’s Osaka execution-layer specifications, representing a major step toward greater decentralization and improved performance.