Key Highlights from the Interview

In a recent episode of Founder Talk at TOKEN2049 in Singapore, crypto educator Sujal Jethwani sat down with Jesse Pollak, the creator of Base, an Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain built by Coinbase. The conversation, captured in a lively video at the Base Café, covers everything from Base's long-term vision to playful games like "Kill, Marry, Hook Up" with crypto concepts. If you're into meme tokens or the broader onchain world, this chat is packed with insights that could shape how we think about decentralized finance and social tokens.

Base has become a hotspot for meme coins and creator-driven projects, thanks to its low fees and seamless integration with Ethereum. Pollak, who leads the project, shared his thoughts on where Base is headed, emphasizing the shift toward a fully onchain global economy.

The Future of Base: A World Onchain

Pollak painted an exciting picture of Base in 10 years. He envisions a world where "the whole world is on chain," with 5 billion people and trillions of dollars in assets flowing through blockchains like Base. For meme token enthusiasts, this means massive growth in user-generated assets, including creator coins and app coins that could rival today's tech giants.

He stressed the need for every country to bring their local currencies onchain as stablecoins. This could revolutionize cross-border transactions and open up new opportunities for meme projects tied to regional cultures or communities. Imagine meme tokens backed by local stablecoins—talk about global meme mania!

Base Token Timeline: No Rush, Just Open Building

One of the hottest topics was the Base token. Pollak didn't drop a specific launch date but emphasized transparency: "No specific timelines... We'll keep building in open, share progress, and get feedback." This approach aligns with Base's community-first ethos, which has already attracted a wave of meme coin launches.

For those waiting on the waitlist for Base apps or eyeing the network token, Pollak reminded us that we're still early. With only $10 billion in total value locked (TVL) now, the potential for trillions means big upside for early adopters in the meme space.

What Base Could "Steal" from Solana

Solana's known for its high-speed, low-cost transactions and a vibrant degen (degenerate) trader community—think endless meme coin pumps and dumps. Pollak admitted he'd love to borrow Solana's "raw unfiltered degen trader youth energy." Base already hosts top meme coins, but injecting more of that youthful, high-risk trading vibe could supercharge its ecosystem.

This nod to Solana highlights how competition drives innovation. Meme tokens thrive on hype and community, so more "degen energy" on Base could lead to even wilder launches and trades.

Creator Coins: Empowering Content Makers

Pollak made a strong case for why every content creator should launch their own coin. Stuck in platforms like Facebook or Instagram? You're only getting less than 5% of the profits. Onchain creator coins let the free market value your work directly.

For meme insiders, this is huge. Creator coins are essentially tokenized fanbases—similar to how meme tokens build cults around ideas or characters. Pollak predicts these will blow up, with projects like Zora leading the charge in creator capital markets.

Kill, Marry, Hook Up: Crypto Edition

In a fun segment, Pollak played "Kill, Marry, Hook Up" with crypto elements:

• Kill: Externally Owned Account (EOA) wallets—these are your basic crypto wallets that are clunky and insecure. Pollak wants to replace them with smart wallets for better user experience.

• Marry: The Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). He calls it the most powerful computing platform ever, providing massive leverage for developers building on Base.

• Hook Up: Dollar stablecoins. They've had a good run, but Pollak sees a shift toward local stablecoins for a truly global economy.

This game underscores Base's focus on usability and scalability, which benefits meme token creators who need easy tools to launch and trade.

Advice for Crypto Newbies and Founders

For newcomers dipping into crypto (and memes), Pollak's tip: "Find the thing you love doing that you can do in crypto, and show up every single day." Whether it's creating content, trading, or building, consistency pays off.

He warned new founders against holding onto ideas too long—ship fast, learn, and iterate. In the fast-paced meme world, this means launching your token, gathering feedback, and evolving quickly to avoid fading into obscurity.

Bigger Picture: Specialization and Growth

Looking ahead five years, Pollak sees more concentration in general-purpose chains like Base, with specialized blockchains for things like limit order books or games connecting in. Base will be the hub for assets, including the exploding category of meme and creator coins.

He also shouted out projects like Aerodrome, a decentralized exchange on Base, as potential trillion-dollar businesses. These could become the "Google, Microsoft, and Apple" of Web3, powering the next wave of onchain innovation.

If you're building or trading meme tokens, Base's trajectory looks promising. Keep an eye on creator coins and local stablecoins—they might be the next big meme trend.

For the full interview, check out the original post on X. What do you think about Base's future? Drop your thoughts in the comments!