> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.base.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Base Account Overview

> What is a Base Account and how the Base Account SDK lets you add universal sign-in and one-tap USDC payments to any app.

> **TL;DR** – Base Accounts are the onchain identity and account layer powering the [Base App](https://base.app). With the **Base Account SDK** you can connect to over one hundred thousand users and unlock authentication and payments with just a few lines of code.

## What is a Base Account?

A Base Account is a Smart-Wallet–backed account that gives every user:

* **Universal sign-on** – one passkey works across every Base-enabled app.
* **One-tap payments** – low-friction USDC payments built into the account layer.
* **Private profile vault** – opt-in sharing of email, phone, shipping address, and more.
* **Multi-chain support** – one address that works across many EVM networks.

> Under the hood, each Base Account is an ERC-4337 Smart Wallet that can be deployed on any EVM-compatible chain; many EVM mainnet chains are enabled out of the box, including Base Mainnet.

<Note>
  **Supported networks**

  **Full support**

  * **Mainnet:** Base • Arbitrum • Optimism • Zora • Polygon • BNB Chain • Avalanche • Ethereum
  * **Testnet:** Base Sepolia • Sepolia

  {/* DYNAMIC_CHAINS_START */}

  **Basic support:** Monad • Unichain • ZKsync

  Basic support only includes transfers through the [Base Account Web](https://account.base.app) surface for select tokens.

  {/* DYNAMIC_CHAINS_END */}
</Note>

## Why should developers care?

* **Higher conversion** – no app installs, seed phrases, or network switches.
* **Fewer drop-offs at checkout** – a single `pay()` call handles gas and settlement.
* **Cross-app identity** – fetch a verified email or shipping address via the same SDK.
* **Self-custodial** – users hold the keys; you never touch private data or funds.

## Next steps

| Goal                         | Start here                                                           |
| ---------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Build & run in 5 min         | [Quickstart](/base-account/quickstart/web)                           |
| Authentication flow          | [Authenticate users](/base-account/guides/authenticate-users)        |
| Accept USDC payments on Base | [Accept payments](/base-account/guides/accept-payments)              |
| Deep-dive API shapes         | [TypeScript API reference](/base-account/reference/core/getProvider) |