Jesse Pollak said a launch on Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 should come very soon as Base shifts toward tokenized assets, with the product offering regulated custody, onchain transfers, redemption rights and dividend pass-through.
Base is preparing to launch tokenized U.S. equities backed 1:1 by underlying shares, extending Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 push into onchain financial products. Jesse Pollak, Base’s lead developer, said the rollout should come very soon and would give users access to tokenized shares of companies including Apple and Tesla. The equities are set to be fully backed and held in regulated custody, with onchain transfer and redemption rights as well as automatic dividend pass-through. The planned launch adds detail to Base’s broader pivot toward trading, payments, AI agents and tokenized assets after Pollak said the network had fallen behind Robinhood Chain on tokenized stocks and had made a “wrong bet” by prioritizing creator, content and messaging apps. The move is also being viewed as a step forward for real-world asset infrastructure on Base. The announcement comes alongside regulatory progress, including SEC approval earlier this year of Nasdaq’s tokenized securities rule. Prediction-market pricing also showed slightly firmer expectations that Base could launch a token by the end of 2026, with the implied probability rising to 12.5% from 10% a day earlier. Market participants are now watching for official announcements from Coinbase or Base, as well as further regulatory approvals, partnerships and any technical or regulatory hurdles that could affect timing.