Base is a Layer 2 blockchain network developed by Coinbase. It's designed to provide a secure, low-cost, and developer-friendly environment for building decentralized applications (dApps) on the Ethereum blockchain. Base aims to offer scalability and improved transaction throughput while maintaining the security guarantees of Ethereum. It uses optimistic rollup technology to bundle multiple transactions together and process them off-chain, thereby reducing congestion and lowering gas fees on the Ethereum mainnet. Base is part of Coinbase's broader strategy to foster the growth of the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem by providing robust infrastructure and support for developers and users alike.