- Base has activated its fourth mainnet upgrade, Denim, replacing Flashblocks with a system that produces a full block every 200 milliseconds.
- The upgrade introduces millisecond-level timestamps for smart contracts, helping developers build faster and more time-sensitive applications.
- Denim also adds new token transfer protections and compliance controls under Base’s B20 standard.
Base, the Ethereum Layer 2 network incubated by Coinbase, has been upgraded with its fourth mainnet upgrade, Denim, that replaces Flashblocks with a new system for producing full blocks every 200ms.
This should make the block production easier and more reliable. Blocks will be produced with a fixed 200ms delay between each block. This is controlled by the protocol rather than based on the sequencer’s clock.
Base Denim is officially live on mainnet
Native 200ms blocks, BaseTime for millisecond precision and B20 improvements ↓ https://t.co/bw3lrgZK8P
— Base (@base) November 5, 2026
Base said this will mean it now better fits applications that require more frequent updates, such as those related to trading, finance and payments. Developers who were using Flashblocks will now have to adapt to using canonical subscription blocks.
Smart Contract Millisecond Time Stamp
A key part of the upgrade is the introduction of BaseTime. This means smart contracts can access millisecond time stamps.
Previously, Ethereum compatible applications would have only had access to seconds through the use of block.timestamp. With Denim, new RPC fields are available which provide millisecond timestamps for blocks, transactions and logs. This will give developers more precision.
This could be useful for applications where even slight differences in time matter. Trading platforms and payments may benefit from more precise information.
Token Security & Compliances
The upgrade also provides improvements to token security. It includes re-usable compliance rules using the NOT operator and extended transfer executor limitations to direct transfers.
It also restricts certain actions. If someone tries to send tokens to the token contract address then transfers, creation of new tokens through minting and seizes will be prevented.
Denim is the fourth major stand-alone upgrade that Base has delivered since launching in 2023. Following Azul, which provided a new client system and multiproof technology, Beryl – introducing the B20 token standard – and Cobalt, which added conditional transactions and further compliance features.
Base is continuing to work on making transactions faster, more reliable and secure with Denim. This will help to make the network more useful for developers and businesses.
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