TL;DR:
- Base recorded a volume of $17 trillion in stablecoins during 2025 and established itself as the largest Layer 2 with $4 billion in TVL.
- The 2026 roadmap prioritizes three pillars: infrastructure for tokenized real-world assets (RWA), global payment scalability, and native support for AI agents.
- Coinbase promotes the x402 standard and the Base App update to facilitate the trading of traditional financial assets in a 24/7 on-chain economy.
This Tuesday, the mission and strategy for 2026 for the Ethereum Layer 2 network developed by Base was officially presented, focusing on transforming the financial system into a 24/7 global economy. After surpassing Ethereum and BNB Chain in weekly DEX volume, the network seeks to consolidate itself as the definitive home for on-chain builders.
This action is supported by unprecedented technical growth recorded over the last year. With operations in more than 140 countries and support for Real-World Assets (RWA) that reached $23 billion in 2025, Base’s infrastructure now aims for sub-second settlements with costs lower than a penny.
A Global Market for Tokenized Assets and Stablecoin Payments
The first column of this expansion is the tokenization of all major asset classes, from commodities and stocks to prediction markets. To achieve this, the network must implement new token standards and chain-level market infrastructure, allowing the Base App to function as a “total interface” for millions of users.
On the other hand, the network seeks to optimize stablecoin payments through updates that include native account abstraction and gas payments directly in stablecoins. This approach responds to a market where B2B stablecoin payments grew 730% year-over-year, reaching a total supply of $308 billion.
Finally, the most innovative pillar is the integration of “native-agents.” Base is developing smart accounts and CLI+ MCP access so that AI can transact independently using the x402 standard. With this deployment, the network not only scales human transactions but also positions itself as the fundamental payment layer for the machine economy.
Base’s 2026 strategy represents an evolution from a simple scalability solution to a comprehensive economic network. By merging institutional tokenization with the agility of AI, Coinbase seeks to lead the definitive transition toward a fully decentralized and efficient financial system.
