In this guide we will discuss the Base L2 and how to bridge from the Ethereum base layer (not to be confused with Base the L2) to the Base Layer 2.
What is Base
Base is a Layer 2 built on Ethereum.
Layer 2s refer to a host of scaling solutions that scale blockchains by separating transaction execution and settlement. In this setup, transactions are executed on the layer 2 and settled on the layer 1. This reduces the load on L1s and since layer 2s have faster transactions and cheaper fees, they can help address the scaling problems blockchains face today.
Base is built on the Optimism tech stack and it is developed and managed by Coinbase. It is several times cheaper and faster than using the layer 1 while benefiting from the security of said layer 1.
In this article, we will discuss how to bridge to Base.
How to bridge to base
The gas token of the Base Network and most other L2s is a bridged version of Ethereum, in this case, it’s called Base ETH. To use the base network, you must have Base ETH.
There are two ways to obtain Base ETH:
- Base Bridge
- Direct Purchase
Both methods will be explained in the following sections:
Base Bridge
The base bridge method utilizes the official Base bridge to bridge ETH from Ethereum to Base, it’s the ideal option for users who want to maintain custody at all times.
You can bridge via the following steps:
1. Add Base Network to your wallet
The first step in bridging to base is to add the network to your wallet, Metamask is the recommended EVM wallet but any wallet is fine.
2. To add the Base Network to your wallet, follow this link: https://chainlist.org/?search=base
3. The website will automatically ask you to connect. Connect with your preferred wallet and sign the connection message
4. Click on add to Metamask
5. Sign the approval message
6. Go to the official Base Bridge
Please make sure to use official links only, to prevent a wallet compromise, the home page should look like this:
7. Connect Wallet
Click the connect wallet button in the upper left corner of the homepage
8. Sign approval message
Sign the approval message that pops up right after clicking connect wallet
9. Enter amount
After signing the approval message, enter the amount of ETH you wish to bridge to Base
10. Click Deposit ETH
After entering the amount you wish to bridge, click on the deposit ETH button below the entry box
11. Confirm deposit in wallet (beware of gas)
After you click “Deposit ETH”, you’ll be directed to sign the transaction in your wallet.
Ensure you’re comfortable paying the gas prices for this transaction, as they can be very high. If you’re willing to pay the fees, scroll down and click approve. If you’d like to avoid paying the high gas prices and don’t mind using centralized solutions, the next section covers how to buy Base ETH directly from a centralized provider.
12. Switch to base network and wait a short while for your tokens
After completing the bridge, head to your wallet and switch to the base network. After a short while, your Base ETH will be transferred to your wallet and show up in your wallet on the Base network.
If the gas fees incurred by this method are too high for you, then the next method is recommended.
The Direct Buy Method
There are numerous other on ramps that you can use to directly buy Base on ETH. Centralized Exchanges like Coinbase and Binance allow you to buy Base ETH directly on their platforms. MoonPay, OnRamp, Ramp and Transak are the other officially recommended onramps.
Using any of these tools will allow you to buy Base ETH directly with fiat and skip the bridging fees.
What are Base Bridging Fees?
When the ETH is bridged to a layer 2, it is temporarily locked up in the smartcontract. This smartcontract mints an equivalent amount of ETH on the Layer-2, in this case Base. It then sends the tokens to the wallet that initiated the bridge. That’s how bridging works. This process is multi-step and requires a significant amount of computation,most of which happens on the L1,hence the high fees.
Summary
In this article, we’ve explored the Base Layer 2 and the two methods to obtain the gas token–Base ETH. Base and other L2s are an innovative solution to the blockchain trilemma. To use the base L2, you need BaseETH. The bridge method is expensive but completely decentralized and self-custodial while the use of on-ramps is much cheaper but sacrifices some decentralization. That’s all for this guide.
