Ethereum and Base Split on Account Abstraction Paths After Failed Alignment Effort
Alignment Talks Between Ethereum and Base Developers Have Ended
Developers for the Ethereum blockchain and the Base network have abandoned their effort to create a shared standard for account abstraction. Instead, they will pursue two separate proposals. Account abstraction is a technology that makes crypto wallets easier to use, allowing features like paying transaction fees without holding the network's native token and signing transactions with a phone passkey.
The split comes after the teams failed to reconcile their core priorities for the technology. Ethereum developer Derek Chiang announced the end of the collaboration in a post on X.
Core Priorities Led to a Divergence
- The two proposals, EIP-8130 from Base and EIP-8141 from Ethereum, were aimed at making wallets simpler.
- Discussions to merge the standards ended because Ethereum focused on censorship resistance, privacy, and security.
- Base's proposal prioritized scale, customization, and regulatory compliance.
- According to Chiang, any shared technical solution would have required one side to compromise its core goals.
What Each Proposal Brings to the Table
Ethereum's proposal, EIP-8141, is on the path for the network's upcoming Hegotá upgrade. The Ethereum Foundation has labeled it a "must-ship" item. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, a co-author, has described it as an "omnibus" that solves remaining account abstraction issues and gets "close to optimal."
Base's proposal, EIP-8130, introduces a new transaction type and an on-chain "Keystore." This keystore would store a user account's approved signers and authenticators to enable features like custom authentication and gas sponsorship (where someone else pays the transaction fee).
Fragmentation Burden Falls on Wallet Developers
If both proposals launch, wallet software creators may need to build support for two different transaction formats. This creates fragmentation, placing the burden on the wallet community.
However, Chiang offered a potential positive outcome: "If they execute well, and if the wallet community can bridge over the fragmentation, we may well end up with the best possible UX for the end users."