Base

**Final day** to apply for Base Batches 002 startup track applications. **What's at stake:** - Top 40 teams get flown to Demo Day at EF Devcon - Direct access to pitch VCs, angels, and accelerators - Opportunity to scale live products ready for growth Applications close today at [basebatches.xyz](https://basebatches.xyz/) **Ready to build?** This could be your chance to connect with the funding and mentorship needed to take your startup to the next level.

**Base Pay is now operational** across Flexa's merchant network, enabling crypto payments at major retailers. **Key participating merchants include:** - Chipotle - Regal Cinemas - Barnes & Noble - Sheetz The service operates through **mini apps within the Base app**, streamlining the payment process for users. This launch represents a significant step toward mainstream crypto adoption, making digital asset payments accessible at familiar retail locations without complex wallet management.

**Recall Network** is launching on Base to solve AI's transparency problem through **open competitions** and **verified rankings**. The platform creates **onchain benchmarks** where AI models compete publicly, letting anyone verify which systems actually deliver results versus marketing claims. Key features: - Transparent model performance data - Competitive rankings based on real results - Crypto incentives for high-performing AI agents - Public verification of capabilities Recall's testnet already processed **1M+ transactions** from 276K+ accounts, showing strong demand for AI accountability. This addresses a critical need as AI hype often outpaces actual performance, giving developers and users reliable data to make informed decisions about which models to trust and deploy.

**Fomo** transforms crypto trading into a social media experience. The app lets users: - Track other traders' moves - Discover trending coins early - Compete with friends in trading challenges The platform gamifies market participation by combining social feeds with trading functionality. Users can follow successful traders and spot emerging opportunities through community activity. Available on both iOS and Android at [fomo.family](https://fomo.family/)

**S&P Global Ratings** has partnered with **Chainlink** to publish its Stablecoin Stability Assessments (SSAs) directly on-chain for the first time. **Key developments:** - Over 2,400 institutions and developers in the Chainlink ecosystem can now access these assessments across 40+ blockchains - SSAs evaluate stablecoins' ability to maintain parity with fiat currencies, scored from 1 (very strong) to 5 (weak) - Assessments consider asset quality, governance, liquidity, and redemption mechanisms **Market context:** - The stablecoin market now exceeds $300 billion, nearly doubling from last year - Recent passage of the GENIUS Act provides the first U.S. federal regulatory framework for stablecoins - Institutions need transparent, standardized risk insights to integrate stablecoins responsibly S&P brings significant credibility with over 1 million credit ratings outstanding and coverage across 150+ countries. Chainlink's infrastructure secures nearly $100 billion in DeFi TVL. This partnership represents a major step toward institutional adoption of tokenized finance, providing real-time, validated risk data as the foundation for on-chain finance. [Learn more](https://press.spglobal.com/2025-10-14-S-P-Global-Ratings-and-Chainlink-Collaboration-Brings-S-Ps-Stablecoin-Stability-Assessments-On-Chain?utm_medium=organic&utm_source=social)

**Boys Club and a16z** hosted an evening event at China Live restaurant during SF Tech Week, focusing on bringing the **creative economy to the table** - both figuratively and literally. The gathering brought together key players in the creative and tech spaces to discuss opportunities at the intersection of creativity and blockchain technology. - Event took place at China Live during SF Tech Week - Hosted by Boys Club World and Andreessen Horowitz - Focus on creative economy applications The collaboration highlights growing institutional interest in supporting creative professionals and artists in the web3 space.

Base hosted its inaugural A New Day One event, marking a significant milestone in decentralized streaming technology. - First-ever event simultaneously streamed onchain via multiple platforms: - Farcaster mini app - Coinbase Wallet - X (formerly Twitter) - YouTube The stream was powered by Livepeer technology, demonstrating new possibilities for decentralized content distribution. *Want to participate?* Join the Base beta through [join.base.app](https://join.base.app/) *Missed the live event?* Catch the replay on [X/Twitter](https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1YqGoopMEjjGv)

Base App (@baseapp) is launching a novel social network approach where users can earn rewards for their posts. Jesse Pollak (@jessepollak) highlighted on The Blockchain Podcast Network (@tbpn) that user monetization is a key focus driving adoption. - Users can join the platform for free - Earn rewards for creating content - Part of Base's strategy to incentivize engagement The model represents a shift from traditional social networks where platforms primarily benefit from user-generated content.

Base, the Coinbase-incubated Layer 2 network, has unveiled its new website at base.org. The platform aims to advance web3 adoption through improved infrastructure and community engagement. Key updates: - Refreshed website design and user interface - Enhanced developer resources and documentation - New community features for builders and users The initiative aligns with Base's vision of creating an accessible global economy powered by decentralized technology. *Visit [base.org](https://base.org) to explore the new platform.*

Base Chain has implemented significant performance upgrades to enhance transaction processing speeds. The improvements include: - Optimized block validation process - Reduced confirmation times by 40% - Enhanced node synchronization These updates maintain network security while delivering faster transaction finality. Users can expect smoother dApp interactions and reduced wait times for transfers. *Technical details*: - Block time reduced to 2 seconds - Gas optimization for complex smart contracts - Improved mempool management For developers: Update your node software to version 2.1.0 to access these improvements.