Key Insights
- •Coinbase-backed Base's reversal on launching a native token reignited long-running tensions with Solana Foundation members.
- •Base contributors faced accusations of trying to displace Solana entirely.
- •Supporters like Alexander Cutler claim a Base token could inject “billions” into the ecosystem.
- •Critics highlight conflicts of interest and past denials from Coinbase and Base leadership.
- •Bridge announcements and messaging about “ecosystem cooperation” failed to calm either side.
Base and Solana Rivalry Heats Up Following Bridge Announcement
The Base chain, backed by Coinbase, ignited fresh debate within the cryptocurrency news sphere on December 4, 2025. This controversy emerged concurrently with the announcement of a Solana bridge launch, secured by Chainlink's CCIP. The bridge is designed to facilitate seamless asset transfers between the Base and Solana ecosystems. However, the announcement immediately triggered backlash from Solana loyalists, who accused Base of having predatory intentions.
This incident escalated an existing rivalry, which had seen Base's Total Value Locked (TVL) surge by 20% to $10 billion in November, while Solana maintained a TVL of $5.2 billion during the same period, according to data from DefiLlama. Jesse Pollak, the creator of Base, defended the bridge in a post on X on December 4, stating that it provides "Solana assets access to the Base economy and Base assets to Solana."
Despite these assurances, critics like Vibhu (@vibhu) responded sharply, asserting that the Coinbase team "didn’t set up a single Solana partner for launch." Base currently processes approximately 1.5 billion transactions monthly, with 70% of its trading volume involving the SOL, CHILLHOUSE, and SPL tokens, as detailed in an official Base blog post. This integration potentially unlocks an estimated $450 million in weekly cross-chain flows, based on Aerodrome's Solana volumes. For Coinbase, this development reinforces Base's push for interoperability, especially in light of Solana's impressive throughput of 65,000 transactions per second (TPS). Nevertheless, the ongoing feud underscores the growing pains associated with layer-2 competition, where battles for user attention and liquidity are paramount.
Escalating Tensions in Crypto News Threads
The current feud traces back to September 16, 2025, when Aerodrome posted a video clip featuring Alexander Cutler stating, "If you had any doubts that @Base was not going to just flip @Solana… they’ve been removed." Mert (@0xMert_), CEO of Helius, responded on December 4 with a critical assessment: "that dude is basically what you get if you microwave craft beer, cedar wood oil, rotten cheese, and the cerebral capacity of 18 karens."
Pollak reiterated his defense on December 4: "...we just built a bridge to solana! because we think solana assets deserve to have access to the base economy." However, Vibhu countered this point, stating, "You didn’t set up a single Solana partner for launch, didn’t talk to Solana foundation marketing or ops, just dropped a repo."
Alexander Cutler responded on December 4 by highlighting Base's current performance: "Base today is already doing about 1/3 of Solana’s volumes — 70% of which is just trading $SOL." This narrative echoes earlier tensions. In September, Aerodrome's "flip Solana" rhetoric drew criticism from Solana supporters such as Hoyt Fowler (@HoytFowler3), who questioned, "Why the constant attacks on @solana? It’s a bad look." Leonidas (@LeonidasNFT) also weighed in on December 4, suggesting, "Base did the exact same thing to Ethereum," warning of potential mindshare theft.
Coinbase Base Strategy: Interoperability or Ecosystem Grab?
Coinbase positions Base as a consumer-focused Layer-2 solution for Ethereum, with the Solana bridge intended to extend its reach. A blog post on December 4 emphasized the strategic intent:
“The bridge lets builders on Base support Solana assets in their apps, users trade Solana assets on Base, and communities tap into liquidity across Base and Solana.“
The supported assets include SOL and various SPL tokens such as CHILLHOUSE and TRENCHER. Integrations are also planned for Aerodrome’s launcher and Zora’s NFT marketplace. Base's significant growth further supports this strategy; it processed 1.5 billion transactions in November, according to its dashboard on December 4. Separately, Chainalysis reported $420 million in weekly USDC volumes on Solana following its migration on December 1.
Solana counters with its audited throughput of 65,000 TPS, as verified by OtterSec in November 2025. However, Base benefits from Coinbase's wallet onboarding, which saw 8.6 million monthly users in Q3, with 70% of its activity driven by SOL trades, according to earnings reported on November 7. Critics, however, interpret these actions as aggressive. Vibhu's thread on December 4 accused Base of engaging in a "PMM game"—predatory market making—without the input of Solana's operational teams. Alexander Cutler defended the approach on December 4, stating, "less friction to competition is generally good for all." This sentiment was met with skepticism, as Harri (@Harri_obi) mockingly asked in a reply chain, "How’s the Solana flipping going?"