Base's Creator Coin Strategy Leaves Builders Feeling Left Out in the Cold

Base has quietly become the epicenter for creator coins—tokens tied to individual creators, posts, and content. With Zora positioned as the strategy’s flagship platform, the blockchain has been riding a wave of momentum. Daily token mints on Base actually surpassed Solana’s in August, and the chain continues to log over 10 million daily transactions.

But here’s the catch: builders who helped establish Base’s early ecosystem are watching this unfold with growing frustration.

The Narrow Path Forward

The creator coin narrative is compelling. Supporters frame it as a new onchain revenue stream for content creators and a genuine cultural entry point into crypto. The data seems to back this up. Yet as Base doubles down on this strategy, a widening gap has opened between the promoted ecosystem and everyone else building on the chain.

Jacek, who operates the degen token ecosystem on Base, became the face of this frustration. In a candid post on X, he laid bare what many builders are feeling: Base’s marketing and community support have become increasingly selective. Projects aligned with Zora receive the spotlight. Everyone else? Effectively invisible.

The Real Problem Isn’t Favoritism—It’s the Message

“I’m genuinely disappointed by Base’s forced push around creator coins,” Jacek wrote. “We still can’t even get the official Base X account to follow us, let alone acknowledge launches. It’s not just us. Plenty of other projects feel the same way: that if you’re not part of the favored narrative, you effectively don’t exist. At that point, what is the incentive to build on Base?”

The contrast stung even more when Jacek recalled what happened when degen bridged to Solana: immediate support from the official Solana X account and direct engagement from Mert Mumtaz, CEO of Helius. It wasn’t about better infrastructure or technical superiority. It was about community.

Why This Matters Beyond Sentiment

Base is performing well by most metrics. Transaction volume remains strong. But the sentiment among core builders—the people actually shipping products and driving adoption—is shifting visibly. When these voices start questioning whether they belong on Base, it signals something deeper than a marketing misstep.

The risk is real: other chains like Solana and Sui are actively positioning themselves as alternatives for builders seeking recognition and support. If Base’s strategy continues to narrow further, the exodus could begin sooner than expected.

Base’s strategy of championing creator coins isn’t inherently flawed. But a successful blockchain ecosystem requires builders at every level to feel valued. Right now, many don’t. Whether Base recalibrates its approach or stands firm remains the question—but the window to course-correct may be closing.