A New Day One: What is Coinbase's Base App?

Coinbase recently unveiled its latest innovation: the Base App. Launched during an event dubbed "A New Day One," this rebranded version of the former Coinbase Wallet aims to serve as a comprehensive platform for onchain activities. 

As an Ethereum Layer 2 solution built on the Base Chain, the app integrates social networking, trading, payments, mini-apps, chat functions, and earning mechanisms into a single non-custodial wallet. This development positions Coinbase to bridge traditional finance with decentralized ecosystems, potentially attracting a broader user base to blockchain applications.

The Base App's debut aligns with Coinbase's broader strategy to make cryptocurrency more accessible. Company executives, including CEO Brian Armstrong, highlighted during the launch how the app could onboard billions of users to on-chain experiences. Available for download via the waitlist, it emphasizes user-friendly features while leveraging the Base Chain's recent upgrades for faster transactions. 

This research explores the app's core features, launch details, and reactions from the X community, drawing on official announcements and user discussions.

Launch Details: Coinbase's "A New Day One" Event

As stated above, Coinbase marked the Base App's mainnet launch with the "A New Day One" event on July 17, 2025. The event recapped the evolution of the Base ecosystem, including the app's rebranding, the rollout of Base Pay, and spotlights on creators. 

Official X accounts, @base and @baseapp, provided real-time updates. The event also announced expansions, including Base Build, which aims to onboard 1 million developers, and integrations that enable millions of Coinbase users to trade on-chain assets directly within the main app. Meanwhile, no network token is planned, keeping the focus on existing infrastructure.

Understanding the Base App: An Overview

The Base App represents a shift from a simple cryptocurrency wallet to what Coinbase describes as an "everything app." At its core, it operates on the Base Chain, an Ethereum Layer 2 network designed for scalability and low costs. Unlike traditional wallets, Base App combines multiple functionalities to create a seamless onchain environment. Users can create content, earn from interactions, trade assets, make payments, discover decentralized applications (dApps), and communicate with others, all within one platform.

"One of the big things that we're focusing on with the Base App, and one of the reasons why people are coming to use it, is that when you post on Base, you actually earn," Jesse Pollak, Head of Base and the Base App, said during an interview on TBPN. 

Key to its appeal is the non-custodial nature, meaning users retain control over their private keys. Coinbase has integrated protocols like Farcaster for social features and Zora for automated earnings from content engagement, making it a hub for the onchain economy.

The rebranding from Coinbase Wallet to Base App reflects Coinbase's ambition to expand beyond basic storage and transactions. It now supports a unified onboarding process, allowing legacy wallet users to switch seamlessly. Additionally, the app enables gas fee payments directly from Coinbase balances, reducing barriers for newcomers to blockchain technology.

Key Features of The Base App

The Base App's features are categorized into several areas, each designed to enhance user engagement in the cryptocurrency space. Here's a breakdown based on official details and demonstrations shared during the launch.

Social and Content Creation Tools

Social integration is a standout aspect of the Base App. It includes a social feed where users can post images, videos, and NFTs. Content creators benefit from automatic earnings through the Zora protocol, which rewards engagement such as likes and shares. 

Group chats feature encrypted messaging, ensuring privacy in communications. The app also offers personalized feeds driven by machine learning, with push notifications for interactions such as follows and reposts. This setup aims to foster a community-driven experience, similar to social media platforms but rooted in blockchain technology. 

Trading and Financial Services

For trading enthusiasts, Base App offers tools for fast token swaps and earning yields, with rates of up to 4.1% on USDC stablecoins. Users can buy and sell assets directly from their feeds, with real-time notifications and revamped price charts featuring haptic feedback and animations.

Integrations with Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs), such as Aerodrome, and lending protocols, like Morpho, allow access to on-chain assets. A unified search function covers coins, apps, and social elements, streamlining the trading process within the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

Payment Solutions

Payments are simplified through Base Pay, which enables one-click checkouts using USDC on platforms like Shopify. In the U.S., users receive 1% cashback on transactions. Features like swipe-to-pay and tap-to-pay support instant settlements, while integrations with Flexa allow in-person payments via mini-apps without additional hardware.

This functionality extends to e-commerce, as demonstrated by a collaboration with Erewhon, where users can purchase custom juices online using USDC on Base or get free items at select Los Angeles locations by downloading the app.

Mini-Apps and Discovery

Base App includes built-in mini-apps for various activities, such as gaming (e.g., RemixGG for creating and playing games), tipping (Noice.so), NFT collecting, lending (Morpho), and podcasts (Pods Media). Other examples include DIMO Road Racer, Fantasy Top, and Virtuals. 

Users can drag and reorder saved apps for customization and connect to any dApp on the Base Chain. This discovery layer facilitates exploration of the broader decentralized application ecosystem, enabling users to more easily engage with blockchain-based services.

Identity and Onboarding Enhancements

The Base Account serves as a universal sign-in for the open internet, simplifying access across platforms. Onboarding is unified, supporting larger video files and providing seamless transitions for existing wallet users. These features lower the entry barriers for those new to Ethereum Layer 2 networks.

Technically, the app benefits from the Base Chain's Flashblocks, now live on mainnet, which reduce effective block times to 200ms, making transactions up to 10 times faster. This upgrade was tested live by Armstrong during the launch, confirming near-instant processing.

Positive Sentiment From X 

What’s a review without reactions from the most relevant social media platform for blockchain protocols? As expected, discussions on X reflect widespread interest in the Base App. A thread by @coinempress summarized the livestream, covering the rebrand, social integrations, mini-apps, 200ms block times, encrypted messaging, tipping, and Base Pay. The user inquired about the timeframe required to onboard the next billion users to cryptocurrency.

@DaoistVida noted the app's multi-functionality, including mini-apps, social features, chat, and trading, alongside the Base Chain's speed improvements. 

Other users, such as @Crypto_Neuz, positioned Base App as a solution to crypto fragmentation, serving as a wallet, dApp explorer, chat hub, earning platform, and creator interface. @1CrypticPoet discussed DEX integrations into the Coinbase app, urging projects to prepare for increased visibility. 

Overall sentiment on X is positive, with users praising accessibility for non-experts, such as trading memecoins directly in the Coinbase app, and potential for institutional adoption through verified pools. 

Future Plans and Implications for the Crypto Ecosystem

Looking ahead, Coinbase plans to scale the Base App through the expansion of mini-apps and the Superchain, aiming for global reach. The focus on onboarding 1 million builders via Base Build suggests a developer-centric approach to growing the Ethereum Layer 2 space.

As the cryptocurrency market continues to mature, innovations like Base App could play a pivotal role in mainstream adoption, blending social, financial, and decentralized elements.

In summary, the launch of Coinbase's Base App marks a significant step in the evolution of blockchain wallets. 

By integrating diverse features into the efficient Base Chain, it aims to make on-chain interactions more intuitive and rewarding. As user feedback from X threads indicates, the app has generated considerable buzz, positioning it as a potential game-changer in the cryptocurrency landscape.