Base has launched Base Account, a new feature that lets users send USDC payments with a single tap and covers the gas fees for those transactions. The move is the first step toward full account abstraction, which the network plans to deliver through two upgrades — Beryl and Cobalt — expected in 2026.
What Base Account Does
Base Account is designed to simplify crypto payments. Instead of managing gas fees or worrying about having the right token for network costs, users can send USDC directly. The network sponsors the gas, meaning the sender doesn't pay anything beyond the USDC amount. The one-tap interface aims to make the experience feel closer to a traditional payment app.
The feature is live now. Base says it's the first product in a broader push to make its layer-2 network more accessible to everyday users. The company hasn't disclosed how long it will cover gas fees or whether the sponsorship will eventually be limited.
Why Account Abstraction Matters
Today, most crypto wallets require users to hold a native token — like ETH on Ethereum or, in Base's case, ETH — to pay for transaction fees. That creates friction. Account abstraction removes that requirement by letting users pay fees in any token, or have someone else pay them. It also enables more flexible transaction logic, like batching multiple actions into one.
Base's approach is to roll out account abstraction in stages. Base Account is the first piece: it handles the gas sponsorship part, but the underlying wallet logic still works like a standard externally owned account. The Beryl and Cobalt upgrades will introduce native account abstraction, meaning the network itself will support smart contract wallets that can pay fees in USDC or other assets without relying on a third-party relayer.
The Beryl and Cobalt Upgrades
Base has outlined two upgrades for 2026. Beryl will come first, adding basic account abstraction features. Cobalt will follow, bringing more advanced capabilities. The company hasn't published exact timelines or technical specs yet, but the upgrades are meant to make Base Account's current sponsored-gas model a permanent, native feature.
Developers will be able to build wallets that don't require users to hold ETH for gas. That could open up new use cases — like payroll in USDC, or merchant payments where the business covers the fee. Base says the upgrades will also improve security and reduce complexity for dApps that want to onboard non-crypto-native users.
Competition and Context
Base isn't the only network chasing account abstraction. Ethereum's ERC-4337 standard already allows smart contract wallets, but it's not native — it relies on a separate mempool and bundlers. Other L2s like Arbitrum and Optimism have their own experiments. Base's advantage is its direct integration with Coinbase, which gives it a large user base and a built-in fiat on-ramp.
Still, the 2026 timeline means users won't see full native account abstraction for at least two years. In the meantime, Base Account's sponsored gas model is a stopgap. The company will need to keep the feature reliable and affordable as usage grows.
Base hasn't said whether it will charge fees for Base Account in the future or how it will sustain the gas sponsorship. Those details are expected to come as the Beryl and Cobalt upgrades take shape.
