Base Upgrades Network to Denim Block Production
The network has activated the Denim upgrade on its Sepolia testnet to improve block production consistency.
Updated on Oct. 24, 2026 in Remote Work
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Base has transitioned to a new canonical block production schedule, with the Denim upgrade now producing blocks every 200 milliseconds. The system replaces the previous Flashblocks specification, which utilized sub-blocks, to better align preconfirmation streams with final blocks.
Why it matters
The upgrade aims to mitigate risks associated with discrepancies between preconfirmation streams and final block data. By standardizing the production process, Base seeks to enhance technical reliability for network integrators.
The Denim upgrade increases block production to five complete canonical blocks per second. As of October 24, 2026, the network reached a total value locked of $6.07 billion.
The players
Base
Base is an Ethereum Layer 2 network designed for decentralized application development.
Sepolia
Sepolia serves as a testnet environment for developers to trial network upgrades before deployment on the mainnet.
The details
Integrators must now transition from Flashblocks subscriptions to standard newHeads and logs streams to accommodate the new architecture. While internal block production is faster, block timestamps in the header will continue to record in seconds, though RPC responses will now feature millisecond timestamps.
Timeline
July 16, 2025: Base launched the Flashblocks specification on mainnet.
October 21, 2026, 18:00 UTC: Base activated the Denim upgrade on the Sepolia testnet.
October 24, 2026: DeFiLlama recorded the Base total value locked at $6.07 billion.
November 2026: Base targets the activation of the Denim upgrade on mainnet.
Market Landscape
The transition to Denim represents a fundamental shift in how the Base network manages its transaction pipeline relative to the Flashblocks specification. This change positions the platform to better compete in the Layer 2 sector by enhancing the technical stability of its block production process.
Integrators building on the Base network must update their subscriptions to use standard newHeads and logs streams instead of Flashblocks. End users should expect improved consistency between preconfirmation data and finalized blocks during network operations.
The takeaway
Developers and network participants should prepare their systems for the upcoming migration by replacing legacy Flashblocks subscriptions. This technical update streamlines how data is processed, ensuring a more stable experience as the network scales.
What happens next
Base is currently planning to deploy the Denim upgrade to the mainnet in November 2026, though an official calendar date for this implementation has not yet been set.
Further reading
Learn more about evolving network infrastructure in the Remote Work section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Industry Spread.
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