Ethereum layer-2 network Base has activated its Beryl mainnet upgrade after postponing the rollout by one day to June 26 at 18:00 UTC. The delay gave its B20 Activation Registry additional time to reach full functionality, ensuring the new token standard could operate as intended once the upgrade went live.
Developers cannot deploy tokens using the B20 standard until the registry becomes operational, a process that may take up to an hour after the hard fork. The registry determines whether B20 feature flags are enabled across the network.
Delay follows temporary network outage
The upgrade was initially scheduled for June 25 but was pushed back due to architectural dependencies. On the same day, Base experienced a nearly two-hour halt in block production caused by a consensus failure that introduced an invalid block into the sequencing pipeline.
The development team said the outage was unrelated to the Beryl upgrade. While all funds remained secure, the disruption has renewed focus on the network’s reliability, particularly for time-sensitive operations. A full post-mortem report is expected to provide further clarity on the incident.
Beryl brings performance and efficiency improvements
Beryl marks the second standalone upgrade following May’s Azul release. It reduces the withdrawal confirmation period from Base to Ethereum from seven days to five and integrates Reth V2. According to the team, this upgrade can lower node storage requirements by up to 50%, a move aimed at supporting the network’s growing activity levels.
The upgrade comes as Base continues to handle significant throughput. Daily transactions peaked at 19.63 million in February 2026, while total value locked reached $7.8 billion in March.
B20 token standard introduces compliance-focused features
A central feature of the upgrade is the introduction of the B20 token standard, designed for stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets. Unlike traditional ERC-20 tokens, B20 operates as Rust-based precompiles embedded directly into the network’s node software.
This design allows for built-in compliance tools, including role-based permissions, transfer controls, and the ability to freeze or seize assets. These capabilities mean that B20 tokens may function under conditions that differ significantly from existing token standards.
For traders, this introduces an added layer of complexity. Understanding whether an asset uses B20 or ERC-20 — and what controls issuers retain — will be critical when interacting with tokens on the network.
Market implications and outlook
The rollout of B20 will be closely watched in the coming weeks. Adoption by major stablecoin issuers and real-world asset platforms could reshape how assets behave within the Base ecosystem, particularly as compliance features become embedded at the protocol level.
Attention now shifts to network stability following both the upgrade and the recent outage. Base’s next upgrade, Cobalt, is scheduled for September and is expected to introduce native account abstraction alongside further enhancements tied to the B20 framework.
Want a deeper dive into Ethereum’s roadmap after Base’s Beryl upgrade? Explore the Ethereum Pectra upgrade next.
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