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Base and Zora: Promoting Creator Coins Amid Developer Criticism

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Base and Zora: Promoting Creator Coins Amid Developer Criticism

Key Takeaways

  • 1 Base actively promotes creator coins closely linked with the NFT marketplace Zora.
  • 2 Onchain data shows daily token minting on Base in August surpassed Solana's levels.
  • 3 Developers, including Jacek, complain about Base's selective marketing favoring projects tied to Zora.
  • 4 When the degen project moved to Solana, it received prompt support from Solana's official account and Mert Mumtaz (Helius).
  • 5 In the short term, the network remains active—averaging over 10 million daily transactions—but negative sentiment may push parts of the community to other chains.

Base promotes creator coins via Zora, sparking developer criticism over favoritism. We analyze the dispute, onchain activity data, and practical insights for miners.

Base has intensified the promotion of so-called creator coins—tokens linked to creators, posts, or content—and heavily relies on the NFT marketplace Zora in this process. This strategy has generated notable onchain activity: according to onchain data, daily token mints on Base during a certain period exceeded those on Solana. At the same time, criticism has grown within the community as several developers claimed the platform's marketing and social support has become selective.

What Are Creator Coins and Their Connection to Base?

Creator coins are tokens associated with specific creators or materials that can serve as a source of income for creators and a means of engaging with their audience. On Base, this model has been promoted in conjunction with Zora: the marketplace has become central to the creator coin ecosystem and the primary platform for issuing and trading such tokens. This model has pros and cons: it opens new onchain revenue streams for creators and attracts cultural communities, but simultaneously concentrates attention and resources around a limited set of initiatives.

Developer Criticism of Base

Some community builders claim that Base favors projects linked to Zora at the expense of other initiatives that previously contributed to the chain's growth and liquidity. Jacek, head of the degen ecosystem on Base, publicly expressed disappointment that the platform’s official channels and marketing do not acknowledge launches outside the "preferred" agenda. He also noted that when degen moved to Solana, the project received swift support from Solana’s official account on X and from Mert Mumtaz, CEO of Helius.

Comparison with Other Blockchains

Some developers highlight supportive initiatives in other networks such as Solana and Sui, viewing them as alternatives if relations with Base deteriorate. These movements reflect the risk of concentrating attention on a single partner ecosystem and demonstrate why projects seek backup platforms for development. For more on the alternative chains market and altcoins, see the article Altcoins 2025, which discusses reasons for interest in various networks.

Base’s Outlook Amid Current Events

From an activity standpoint, the network remains operational: according to Basescan, average daily transactions exceed ten million, indicating high load and user participation. However, ongoing dissatisfaction among some builders could lead to project migration to other networks if the platform does not adjust its approach to supporting diverse communities. These potential developments warrant attention, but in the short term, the network’s technical activity remains strong.

Why This Matters

For miners with any number of devices, the impact may be indirect but real: if projects start leaving Base, it could reduce activity and liquidity of tokens and services tied to this network. Meanwhile, current transaction metrics show the network remains busy and utilized, sustaining demand for throughput and fees. Additionally, marketing behavior and official channels influence the application ecosystem, which affects network load and user activity.

What to Do?

Miners and farm operators in Russia with 1–1000 devices should focus on three practical steps. First, monitor activity and transaction profiles on your node or pool—sharp changes in volume or operation types may signal project migration. Second, diversify risks: maintain the ability to switch either to other chains or different load types within Base to avoid dependence on a single activity type. Third, follow official project channels and participate in local communities—this helps detect support changes early and respond accordingly.

If legal or economic stability of issued tokens is important to you, it’s also useful to review discussions on token holder rights and related disputes that affect long-term market participant expectations, for example in the article Token Holder Rights. Finally, when monitoring situations around major players and services, pay attention to ecosystem news, including materials about key companies and their strategies, such as Coinbase News.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a creator coin?

A creator coin is an onchain token linked to a specific creator, post, or content. On Base, such tokens are used as a way to monetize and engage with audiences, often through marketplaces like Zora.

Why do developers criticize Base?

The criticism stems from the perception that Base selectively supports projects tied to Zora while ignoring other initiatives that previously contributed to the network's growth and liquidity.

Should miners be concerned right now?

The network remains active and busy currently, but miners should monitor changes in project activity and be prepared to diversify risks if part of the ecosystem begins migrating to other chains.