Hey there, meme enthusiasts! If you've been keeping an eye on the crypto scene, you know that October – or "Uptober" as we like to call it in the community – often brings some serious bullish vibes. Right on cue, the Base chain is making headlines with a massive milestone.

Crystal Tai, an engineer at Artemis, dropped a tweet highlighting that Base has smashed its all-time high in Total Value Locked (TVL) at a whopping $5.3 billion. That's nearly three times what it was just a year ago. For those new to the term, TVL measures the total value of assets staked or locked in smart contracts on a blockchain. It's a key indicator of network health and activity, showing how much trust and capital users are pouring in.

Diving into the stats from the OnBase dashboard, it's clear why everyone's excited. In the last day alone, Base processed over 11 million transactions – a staggering 2,382% jump from last year. Median transaction fees? A mere $0.002, down 99.2%, making it incredibly cheap to trade. Active users hit 1.1 million, up 1,129%, and that TVL surge represents a mind-blowing 10,465% year-over-year growth. The chart shows a steady climb, peaking right now in early October 2025.

Why Base's Growth Matters for Meme Coins

Base, developed by Coinbase as an Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution, uses optimistic rollups to handle transactions off the main Ethereum chain. This means faster speeds and lower costs compared to Ethereum's sometimes hefty gas fees. It's become a playground for meme coins because anyone can launch and trade them without breaking the bank.

With fees this low, meme coin traders can jump in and out of positions quickly, fueling the viral hype that drives these tokens. The explosion in transactions and users likely ties directly to meme activity – think pump-and-dump fun, community-driven launches, and all the chaos that makes memes so addictive.

Top Meme Coins Thriving on Base

The meme coin market on Base is booming, with a total category market cap sitting at around $1.39 billion as of October 2025. Here's a quick rundown of the top players, based on data from CoinGecko:

• Brett (BRETT)​: Leading the pack with a $466 million market cap and $44 million in 24-hour volume. It's a classic meme token inspired by internet culture.
• Toshi (TOSHI)​: Close behind at $338 million market cap and $26 million volume, riding the wave of cat-themed memes.
• Degen (DEGEN)​: Valued at $111 million with $14 million volume, appealing to the "degen" traders who love high-risk plays.
• PONKE (PONKE)​: $51 million market cap, $11 million volume – a fun, animal-inspired token gaining traction.
• Unstable Coin (USDUC)​: $41 million market cap, poking fun at stablecoins with its ironic name.

These tokens exemplify how Base's infrastructure supports rapid growth. New presales like Based Eggman ($GGs) are also popping up, promising high volatility and potential gains in this Uptober rally.

What This Means for the Future

As Base continues to scale, expect even more innovation in the meme space. The chain's integration with Coinbase makes it accessible for newcomers, potentially onboarding millions more into crypto via memes. If TVL keeps climbing, it could solidify Base as the go-to hub for meme tokens, outpacing rivals like Solana in certain niches.

Whether you're holding BRETT or eyeing the next big launch, Base's metrics suggest we're in for an exciting ride. Stay tuned to Meme Insider for more updates on how these trends unfold – and remember, always DYOR (do your own research) before diving in!