Chapter · Master Base
The sequencer
Every rollup needs something to collect incoming transactions and put them in order before they are batched. That job is done by the sequencer. On Base, Coinbase runs the sequencer today. This is why Base feels fast: one well-run operator can order and confirm transactions quickly. The tradeoff is that a single operator is a central point. If that sequencer went down for a while, new transactions could pause, even though your funds stay recorded and safe.
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What this lesson covers
The decentralization roadmap
A single sequencer is not meant to be the final setup. Base has publicly committed to gradually decentralizing over time, which could include opening the sequencer role to more operators so no single party controls ordering. Progress here matters because a more open sequencer set reduces the trust you place in one company. This is a work in progress across the whole Layer 2 world, not just Base, and it is worth watching as the network matures.
What you get asked
What does the sequencer do on Base?
The sequencer receives transactions and decides their order, then they get batched and posted to Ethereum. It is core to how a rollup runs.
Today the Base sequencer is run by a single operator, ___, which is a point of central control.
Coinbase runs the sole Base sequencer for now. That keeps things fast but means one party controls transaction ordering.
What is the concern with one operator running the sequencer?
A single sequencer can pause or influence ordering. Your funds stay recorded, but the reliance on one operator is why decentralization is a goal.
Match each sequencer idea to its meaning.
The sequencer orders transactions. Right now one operator runs it, and the roadmap aims to share that role to reduce trust.
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.