Ethereum and Base developers have officially ended their collaborative efforts to unify differing account abstraction proposals, opting instead to pursue distinct standards. This significant split, confirmed recently by Ethlabs researcher Derek Chiang, signals a growing divergence in strategic priorities between the foundational Ethereum Layer 1 network and the Coinbase-backed Base Layer 2 solution.
The joint initiative sought to reconcile Ethereum’s EIP-8141, known as Frame Transactions, with Base’s EIP-8130. Both proposals were designed with the shared goal of simplifying cryptocurrency wallet interactions for users. However, talks concluded last week, with the fundamental differences proving insurmountable.
Divergent Paths in Ethereum Account Abstraction
The breakdown in negotiations stems from a core philosophical divide concerning the future direction of each network’s underlying architecture. Ethereum’s developers are staunchly prioritising censorship resistance, privacy, and long-term security. Their vision is to fortify Ethereum as a truly open-source, global settlement layer.
Conversely, Base is heavily focused on optimising for scalability, customization, and regulatory compliance. This approach aligns with its aim to serve enterprise applications and foster broader mainstream adoption of Web3 technologies. Derek Chiang, a developer at Ethlabs, noted that any technical solution would have forced one side to compromise on these deeply held objectives.
This ideological chasm ultimately proved too wide to bridge, leading to the decision to develop separate standards. The move highlights the complex Ethereum ecosystem dynamics as Layer 2 solutions mature and carve out their own identities.
Ethereum’s Vision: EIP-8141 and Hegotá Upgrade
Ethereum’s path forward is now firmly charted with EIP-8141, officially dubbed Frame Transactions. This proposal is considered a “must-ship” for the forthcoming Hegotá upgrade, which developers expect to roll out in 2027 following the Glamsterdam launch in late 2026. EIP-8141 aims to embed account abstraction directly into Ethereum’s mainnet transaction structure.
The innovative design breaks down transactions into programmable “frames” responsible for validation, gas payment, and execution. This modular approach is crucial for significantly enhancing network security. It also paves the way for advanced features like post-quantum authentication.
Furthermore, EIP-8141 is designed to detach accounts from traditional elliptic-curve keys, offering greater flexibility and future-proofing. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, a co-author of the proposal, has been a vocal proponent. He described it in a February X post as an “omnibus that wraps up and solves every remaining problem that AA was intended to address.”
Buterin further commented on September 5, 2026, that EIP-8141 had made substantial progress in recent months. He suggested the proposal was now “close to optimal” in its design and implementation. The Ethereum Foundation’s Protocol cluster underscored its importance.
In a commitment published on September 7, 2026, the Foundation set a December 2029 target for achieving quantum resistance on the Ethereum network Layer 1. EIP-8141 is slated as one of two “must-ship” proposals within the Hegotá upgrade to achieve this ambitious goal, highlighting its foundational role.
Base Forges Its Own Path with EIP-8130
Meanwhile, Base is actively progressing with its own distinct proposal, EIP-8130. Authored by Coinbase engineer Chris Hunter, this standard introduces a novel transaction type complemented by an on-chain “Keystore.” This combination is engineered to deliver custom authentication capabilities.
EIP-8130 also facilitates advanced features such as batched calls and gas sponsorship, crucial for an optimised Layer 2 experience. The Keystore plays a pivotal role, meticulously managing an account’s approved signers and authenticators within the network. Its implementation enhances security and control for users.
This proposal mandates that transactions explicitly declare their authenticator. This allows network nodes to efficiently identify and validate the necessary work, effectively rejecting unknown authenticators before executing arbitrary wallet code. This systematic approach is carefully tailored for the specific performance and regulatory needs of Base and other OP Stack networks.
Despite charting its own course, the draft for EIP-8130 still places a strong emphasis on portability. It acknowledges the necessity for accounts to function seamlessly on EVM chains that may not natively support the standard. This could potentially be achieved through existing solutions like ERC-4337 or other transport mechanisms.
Additionally, compliant chains operating under EIP-8130 will need to accept a shared, canonical set of authenticators. This ensures a degree of interoperability within its adopted ecosystem. The creation of EIP-8130 dates back to July 16, 2024, indicating Base’s early commitment to a separate, tailored approach for account abstraction.
The Broader Impact of Fragmentation
The decision by Ethereum and Base to pursue separate account abstraction standards will inevitably lead to a degree of fragmentation across the broader blockchain ecosystem. This divergence shifts a more significant integration burden directly onto wallet and application developers. They will now need to support distinct transaction architectures.
These developers must also manage varied validation rules for each chain, adding complexity to their development processes. While software solutions can potentially abstract these underlying differences, the onus will be on wallet providers to seamlessly bridge this fragmentation for end-users. Ethlabs’ Derek Chiang noted that this puts “the burden on wallets to deal with the fragmentation that ensues.”
However, Chiang also offered a cautiously optimistic outlook. He suggested that if both proposals are executed effectively, and if the wallet community can successfully navigate the fragmentation, users might ultimately experience the best possible user experience. This hinges on innovative solutions from developers.
It’s important to note that the existing ERC-4337 standard already offers a robust form of account abstraction without requiring changes to Ethereum’s core consensus rules. This standard uses a separate mempool for UserOperation objects. It remains a foundational and widely adopted solution, maintaining significant compatibility across chains.
Since its launch on March 1, 2023, ERC-4337 has seen impressive adoption, with over 40 million smart accounts deployed across Ethereum and various Layer 2 networks. Nearly 20 million of these accounts were established in 2024 alone. By September 5, 2026, ERC-4337 accounts had processed more than 1.26 billion operations from over 65 million smart accounts.
Furthermore, Ethereum’s financial landscape gained additional flexibility with EIP-7702. Introduced with the Pectra upgrade on May 7, 2025, this proposal allows Externally Owned Accounts (EOAs) to temporarily execute smart contract code. This innovation brings features like batch transactions and sponsored gas to existing EOA addresses, complementing ERC-4337 rather than replacing it.
Inevitable Divergence in the Layer 2 Ecosystem
This latest development underscores a structural challenge within the rapidly evolving Layer 2 landscape. With their own user bases, commercial objectives, and accelerated development schedules, Layer 2 solutions are increasingly driven to optimise for their specific needs rather than strict alignment with Layer 1. This marks a departure from earlier aspirations for universal standards.
While the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) traditionally provided a common technical foundation across Ethereum and its Layer 2 networks, this common ground is now being stretched. The failure of this collaboration on native account abstraction exposes the growing pains of a maturing ecosystem. Each Layer 2 is vying for market share and differentiation.
Ethereum core developer Matt Garnett has articulated this perspective, stating that divergence among L2s is an inevitable consequence of market competition. He posits that this competitive pressure forces Layer 2s to roll out features at a faster pace than is typically feasible for the more conservative Ethereum Layer 1 development cycle. This constant push for innovation fuels the need for specialized solutions.
Ethlabs, the independent non-profit research and development organisation co-founded in 2026 by former senior Ethereum Foundation contributors like Executive Director Ansgar Dietrichs, aims to bridge this gap. Backed by figures such as Joe Lubin, Ethlabs focuses on ensuring Ethereum remains a neutral, permissionless global settlement layer amidst this fragmentation. They aim to prepare the network for future challenges like AI agents and maintain protocol integrity.