Base announced plans to ship the Cobalt upgrade in September, it's latest network upgrade that will bring native account abstraction with support for EIP-8130. Unlink its previous independent upgrades, Base is partnering with Optimism and WalletConnect to ship Cobalt, first on Base, then across other OP Stack chains later this year.

The upgrade will enshrine ERC-4337 smart accounts capabilities, such as batched calls, gas sponsorship, session keys, sub-accounts, and key rotation, directly into the protocol layer. For users, EOA accounts gain sponsorship and batching automatically, while existing ERC-4337 smart accounts require a one-time upgrade to access the lower costs and faster inclusion.

The enhancements will cut per-transaction costs significantly, with standard USDC transfer fees alone expected to drop by more than half. EIP-8130 iwill also work across any EVM chain. Base is also opening Base Vibenet, an ephemeral devnet for developers to test integrations before mainnet activation.

Disclaimer: Content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or other professional advice. No representations or warranties are made as to accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. Use of this content is at your own risk, and you should consult a qualified professional before making decisions. No fiduciary or advisory relationship is created.