Ethereum and Base abandon effort for a shared wallet standard

Developers from Ethereum and the Coinbase‑backed Base network have ended a months‑long collaboration to create a common standard for next‑generation crypto wallets. The split means that cross‑network wallets and applications will likely need to support two distinct transaction frameworks.

Background of the collaboration

The goal of the joint effort was to make crypto wallets behave more like modern applications. Desired features included passkey logins, multiple recovery options, the ability for an app to pay transaction fees, and bundling several blockchain actions into a single transaction. Both sides agreed that such capabilities would improve user experience, but each network prioritized different technical goals.

Key differences between the proposals

Ethereum is advancing EIP‑8141, known as Frame Transactions. The proposal emphasizes privacy, censorship resistance, security, and future‑proofing against quantum threats. It also aims to make wallets more programmable while allowing accounts to move away from current cryptographic schemes if needed.

Base is moving forward with EIP‑8130. This draft focuses on flexibility for high‑volume applications and compliance‑related use cases, giving developers more freedom to optimize transaction processing.

Why the joint effort failed

According to an Ethlabs developer, the compromise required to merge the two designs would have forced each side to sacrifice features deemed essential to their respective chains. The decision reflects a broader stance: “Ethereum wanted to be the best version of Ethereum, and Base wanted to be the best version of Base.”

Implications for developers and users

• Wallets that aim to support both Ethereum and Base will need to implement two separate transaction standards.
• Cross‑chain applications may face added complexity when handling fee payment and transaction approval flows.
• Ethereum plans to push Frame Transactions toward the upcoming Hegotá upgrade, while Base targets its Cobalt upgrade, expected to launch on testnet and mainnet in September.

Next steps for each network

Ethereum has listed EIP‑8141 among the execution‑layer features slated for inclusion in the Hegotá upgrade, though the proposal is still under development and not yet live on the mainnet.

Base has made EIP‑8130 available for testing on its Vibenet development network and intends to integrate it with the Cobalt upgrade.