Base, the Coinbase-backed Ethereum Layer-2 network, recently made headlines with a dual-edged sword. On one hand, the network celebrated a significant milestone, completing its 1 billionth transaction since its launch in August 2023. On the other hand, it faced backlash for inadvertently copying the work of a digital artist in the creation of an NFT to commemorate this achievement.
The 1 billionth transaction marks a significant milestone for Base, which has seen exponential growth since its inception just over a year ago. This is an unprecedented achievement, especially when compared to established networks such as Bitcoin, which took more than 15 years to register similar numbers.
Base’s rapid growth can be attributed to its robust support and resources from Coinbase, the $76 billion cryptocurrency exchange that operates Base. The Coinbase association has certainly bolstered Base’s standing, with the network emerging as the fastest-growing Ethereum layer-2 solution, outpacing competitors like Optimism and Arbitrum. A recent CoinGecko report ranked Base as the second most popular blockchain in 2024, capturing interest nine times greater than its nearest Layer-2 rival, Arbitrum.
However, the celebration of Base’s milestone was marred by controversy. As part of the festivities, Base minted an NFT that bore an uncanny resemblance to a creation by digital artist Chris Biron. Biron accused Base of copying his work without giving credit and claimed that the network had already earned over $36,000 from NFT sales at the time of his complaint.
In response to the allegations, Base’s lead developer, Jesse Pollak, issued a public apology, insisting that the incident was unintentional. He admitted that the artwork for their NFT unintentionally mirrored Biron’s work and promised to refine their processes to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
In a commendable move, Base pledged to send 100% of the proceeds from the controversial NFT to Biron. “Creativity often draws from a pool of shared inspiration, and while designing this piece we unintentionally mirrored the work of another artist without attribution. We’re sorry, and we’ll be sending 100% of the proceeds to Biron,” Base stated.
Biron responded positively to Base’s actions, praising them as a “class act” and acknowledging their respectful handling of the situation.
While Base’s billionth transaction milestone is a testament to its rapid growth and potential, the NFT controversy serves as a reminder of the importance of due diligence, especially when dealing with creative properties.
