Ethereum, Base wallet standards talks fail, Ethlabs researcher says
Efforts to agree on a single account abstraction standard between Ethereum and Base collapsed last week, and the two networks are now pursuing different designs, Ethlabs researcher Derek Chiang said. The split may require wallet developers to implement multiple transaction formats to keep user experience consistent across chains.
Why It Matters
Diverging account abstraction standards could increase development complexity for wallets and underscore fundamental differences in priorities between layer-1 and layer-2 ecosystems. How each chain implements native account abstraction will shape future wallet compatibility and feature sets.
Key Facts
- Source: Derek Chiang, founding member and researcher at Ethlabs; co-author of Ethereum's EIP-8141
- Breakdown timing: Talks to create a shared standard broke down last week
- Ethereum proposal: EIP-8141 — Frame Transactions to introduce native account abstraction under the Hegotá upgrade
- Base proposal: EIP-8130 — Keystore native account abstraction, currently live on devnet
- Potential impact on wallets: Wallet developers may need to support separate transaction formats to ensure consistent cross-network experience
Discussions to unify account abstraction across Ethereum and Base failed last week, leaving each network to follow its own technical path, according to Ethlabs researcher Derek Chiang. He said interoperability took a back seat to each chain's internal priorities, a divergence he warned would "put the burden on wallets."
On Ethereum, developers are advancing Frame Transactions via EIP-8141 as a headline feature of the Hegotá upgrade, which aims to provide native account abstraction and a route toward post-quantum authentication. Base, by contrast, is implementing native account abstraction through Keystore under EIP-8130, a specification already available on its devnet.
The split highlights differing design goals between layer-1 and layer-2 projects. Chiang noted that L1 teams are prioritizing attributes such as censorship resistance, capture-resistance, open-source approaches, privacy, and security, which can favor distinct account abstraction designs. Scalability-focused L2s like Base are more closely aligned with standards such as EIP-8130.
While the separation increases the likelihood that wallet providers will have to handle multiple transaction formats, Chiang suggested it need not be detrimental: with separate tracks, Ethereum and Base are free to pursue account abstraction innovations that reflect their own visions. Ethereum's roadmap shows Glamsterdam and Hegotá upgrades progressing through 2026, with Glamsterdam's mainnet launch expected in the second half of 2026 and Hegotá implementation potentially beginning in late 2026 after Glamsterdam.
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