Chapter · Master Base
Gas is paid in ETH
Here is something that surprises people: Base does not have its own gas token. To do anything on Base, such as sending funds or using an app, you pay a small fee in ETH, the same coin used on Ethereum. Many other networks make you buy a special coin just to pay fees, which adds a confusing step. Base skips that. If you already hold ETH, you are ready to use Base once your ETH is on the network. This keeps the experience simpler for newcomers.
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What this lesson covers
Does Base have a token?
As of now, Base has no native network token, and you do not need one to use it. Coinbase and Base leaders have publicly discussed the idea of a possible future token more than once, but nothing has actually launched. Be careful here: scammers often create fake coins and claim they are the official Base token to trick people. If a real one ever launches, it will be announced through official Base and Coinbase channels. Until then, treat any coin claiming to be the Base token as suspect.
Scam alert
Because so many people ask whether Base has a token, fake Base coins appear all the time. A stranger in a chat, a random airdrop, or an ad promising the new Base token is almost always a trap designed to drain your wallet. The safe habit is simple: verify any big claim through official Base or Coinbase sources before you act, and never connect your wallet to a site just because someone told you to. 🐜
What you get asked
What do you use to pay gas fees on Base?
Base uses ETH for gas. There is no separate Base gas token, so holding ETH is enough to pay fees on the network.
On Base you pay transaction fees in ___, so there is no separate gas token to buy first.
Base chose ETH as its gas token. That means one less coin to manage and a smoother experience for new users.
What is the honest status of a native Base token right now?
Base has no native token today. A future one has been discussed publicly but not launched, so be wary of anything claiming to be it.
The rest of this chapter
Learn how Base works as Coinbase's Ethereum Layer 2, from rollups and the OP Stack to gas in ETH, bridging, the sequencer, and staying safe.