Skip to content
Get help

Security Council for Base

This page outlines the purpose, goals, structure, and responsibilities of the Security Council for Base. The Council is composed of individuals and organizations who hold signing keys and help manage upgrades to keep the Base network secure.

Purpose

Base’s mission is to build a global onchain economy that increases innovation, creativity, and freedom. We believe this is only possible on a decentralized platform. This is why Base is (1) built on Ethereum, the most secure and decentralized L1, (2) built on the open and permissionless OP Stack, and (3) upholds key Neutrality Principles.

As part of our ongoing commitment to decentralization, Base launched permissionless fault proofs in October 2024, decentralized control of contract upgrades via a Security Council in April 2025, and has now reached Stage 1 Decentralization.

In reaching Stage 1, Base provides stronger security guarantees and fewer trust assumptions. Builders benefit from infrastructure certainty (no unexpected rule changes), and there’s no single point of failure—everyone can participate in verifying and securing the network.

Structure

Composition and quorum

Stage 1 Decentralization requirements say that the group which approves Base Chain contract upgrades must contain:

  • at least 8 participants
  • a ≥75% quorum
  • a quorum-blocking group outside the main rollup operator (Base)

In addition to the current signing entities (Optimism and Coinbase), the Security Council adds 10 independent entities and individuals from geographically diverse regions. To satisfy the ≥75% quorum, 9 out of the 12 entities (the 10 entities in the Security Council, Optimism, and Coinbase) are required to approve Base upgrades. Base upgrades cannot take effect until a quorum of these entities sign and approve the upgrade. This composition satisfies all requirements.

Member Selection criteria
  • Representation across diverse geographic regions and international territories
  • Strong alignment with Base’s mission and values
  • Diverse organizations - each member represents a separate entity
  • Proven track record in the Base and Ethereum ecosystem - in good standing in upholding professional and ethical standards in the community
  • Technical competency and good security practices - has completed screening processes, including background checks, and have shown ability to securely store and use sensitive key materials
Current Roster

This is a living list that will stay up to date with membership. As of April 2025, the Security Council currently contains members from the following entities and individuals, based in the listed geographical jurisdictions.

  • [Entity] Aerodrome – signer based in Japan
    • Aerodrome is a decentralized exchange on Base where users can swap, earn rewards and actively participate in the onchain economy.
    • 0xa5959a39cA67b9fb473E4A3A898C611EEAc9CB73
  • [Entity] Moonwell – signer based in Brazil
    • Moonwell is a decentralized lending and borrowing platform built on Base.
    • 0x21C7D1e6A81Daca071bA94839ab74C39A25f851F
  • [Entity] Blackbird – signer based in USA
    • Blackbird is a loyalty and payments platform built specifically for the restaurant industry, powered by Base.
    • 0xA5657B88A0130a626fcDd6aAA59522373438CdFE
  • [Entity] ChainSafe – signer based in Canada
    • ChainSafe is a blockchain R&D firm focused on decentralized infrastructure.
    • 0x1C56A6d2A6Af643cea4E62e72B75B9bDe8d62e2B
  • [Entity] Talent Protocol – signer based in Portugal
    • Talent Protocol brings professional reputation onchain to help Base builders showcase their skills and get the recognition they deserve.
    • 0x5ff5C78ff194acc24C22DAaDdE4D639ebF18ACC6
  • [Entity] Moshicam – signer based in USA
    • Moshicam is a community-based photo editing app built on Base.
    • 0xa8ee754FD1d069fb4B5d652730A0ca5e07a3fb06
  • [Individual] Seneca – based in USA
    • Seneca is the co-founder of Rounds, a social platform which has powered grant distribution to Base builders.
    • 0x82C80F34C4b5c153dB76122a11AaD2F77C99E766
  • [Individual] Juan Suarez – based in USA
    • Juan is an active member of the Base ecosystem and has advised a number of key Base projects. He is a former member of the Coinbase Legal Team.
    • 0x99DB5BbA0db16e9aD05e3ff53310683CC3C971D2
  • [Individual] Toady Hawk – based in Canada
    • Toady Hawk is the founder of Zero Rights Media, an open source onchain media org on Base (producers of ZEROPOD), and The Yellow Collective, an onchain culture club for artists and creators on Base.
    • 0x0E8A99738a50D523871739c6d676554b0E34252f
  • [Individual] Roberto Bayardo – based in USA
    • Roberto Bayardo is an engineer at Commonware, building a framework for high-performance blockchains. He is a former core Base contributor.
    • 0x18e982274f8C5B548D5aAc7aBef44D61504e1b3E

Individuals representing each entity are not published to protect personal privacy and to enhance security.

Member Terms

The Security Council for Base operates on a staggered “cohort” model:

  • Cohort 1: 6-month term beginning April 2025
  • Cohort 2: 9-month term beginning April 2025

Roles & Responsibilities

Review and approve changes
  • Council members are notified about proposed upgrades, and they must verify, approve, and sign these upgrades.
  • Council members must verify, approve and sign role changes (in case of key rotations for lost devices, member rotations, etc.). Any key rotations will not disrupt quorum or security.
Maintain availability and lines of communication
  • Be accessible and reachable for scheduled signings, coordination calls, and emergencies.
  • Collaborate with other members to resolve urgent issues.
Preserve key security
  • Generate and store key materials securely.
  • Keys should only be used for activities which directly relate to the Security Council member role (upgrades and ownership changes).
  • Report suspected loss of access or compromise immediately.
  • Undergo onchain safety and security training at the beginning of each term.
  • At regular intervals, participate in a liveness check by signing a message, to confirm ongoing control of the key.
Act in good faith
  • Avoid conflicts of interest and disclose potential conflicts.
  • Participate in removing or replacing dysfunctional signers without compromising security.

The future

The Security Council for Base is a critical step toward a more decentralized, resilient, and secure future for the Base network. By distributing key responsibilities across trusted, independent participants and implementing fault proofs, we’ve reduced reliance on any single entity while strengthening guarantees for users, builders, and the broader ecosystem.

This is just the beginning. As Base continues to evolve, the role of the Security Council will be progressively minimized, paving the way for even more trustless infrastructure beyond Stage 1—Stage 2—and even greater community control.

Our mission remains the same: to build a global onchain economy that empowers innovation, creativity, and freedom—on a foundation that everyone can rely on.

Base is for everyone.