Hey folks, if you're deep into the world of meme tokens and blockchain, you've probably heard of Base—the Ethereum Layer-2 chain built by Coinbase that's become a hotspot for viral meme coins like Brett or Toshi. Well, things just got a whole lot more interesting. In a recent tweet thread from Base Korea (@daehan_base), they shared highlights from the "Base Around the World: Korea" event, where Xen Baynham-Herd, Base's Head of Growth, delivered a groundbreaking keynote on evolving Base into a full-fledged Network State.

For those not familiar, a Network State is a concept popularized by Balaji Srinivasan, former CTO of Coinbase. It's essentially a digital-first nation built on blockchain tech, with its own economy, governance, and community—think a sovereign entity in the cloud, powered by crypto. Xen drew on this idea, arguing that Base has what it takes to become one: a moral vision for fairer finance, a strong sense of community, decentralized governance, and a thriving economic system.

The event, held at Google Startup Campus in Seoul on September 25, 2025, kicked off with David Park (@davidandpassion), Base's East Asia Lead, setting the stage for a day packed with Base insights. But the real buzz came from Xen's presentation. He highlighted Base's impressive stats—$12 billion in assets, $4 billion in stablecoins, over 3 billion transactions, and more than $1 billion in revenue from builder projects. These numbers aren't just bragging rights; they're proof that Base is already operating like a mini-economy.

Why does this matter for meme tokens? Base has been a launchpad for countless memes, thanks to its low fees and fast transactions. If Base transitions into a Network State, meme communities could evolve from fun speculations into integral parts of a digital society's economy. Imagine meme tokens used for governance votes, community funding, or even diplomatic tools in this virtual nation. Korea, with its tech-savvy population and strong democracy, is positioned as a key hub, as noted in the thread. Base Korea plans to foster communities across various sectors to chase this "north star."

The keynote even got a nod from Korean media outlet Digital Asset, which covered Xen's first visit to Korea and his warm reception. Check out the article here for more details on how Base aims to fix the "inefficiencies and unfairness" of traditional finance through Web3.

Xen introduced the "Builder Network," a global community structure where entrepreneurs, creators, and traders collaborate and get rewarded. It's already active in over 25 countries, blending decentralization with real-world execution. This could open doors for meme token creators to build more sustainable projects, moving beyond hype to actual utility in a Network State framework.

As meme enthusiasts, this vision is exciting because it elevates our favorite tokens from internet jokes to potential building blocks of future societies. Base Korea's commitment to growing local communities means more opportunities for Korean blockchain practitioners—and globally—to dive in.

If you're building on Base or just hodling some memes, keep an eye on this. It could redefine how we think about crypto communities. What do you think—could Base really become the first Network State? Drop your thoughts in the comments!