The Cobalt hard fork, the third major update for the Base network in 2026, went live on September 30 at 18:00 UTC. The deployment followed a week of testing on the Sepolia network and required node operators to upgrade their software to version 1.4.2 or newer.
The update introduces validity and conditional transactions, which execute only if specific on-chain criteria are met. Additionally, Cobalt includes a framework for dynamic upgrade scheduling to reduce manual intervention and downtime for node operators during future network changes.
The upgrade also optimizes the B20 token standard and moves the registration process for Trusted Execution Environment signers entirely on-chain. This shift removes off-chain dependencies, aiming to improve security and speed up the registration process.
Major exchanges, including Binance, temporarily suspended transfers on the Base network during the activation. The network experienced no significant disruptions following the launch. Base plans to release its fourth upgrade, Denim, in October 2026.
