That joke about Base became popular for a while—someone compared it to the ecosystem of a certain leading exchange. Behind this analogy, it’s really about the operational logic of different public chains.

One article compared Ethereum to New York and Solana to Los Angeles. Continuing with this idea:

The chain of a certain top exchange is like a port city—24/7 nonstop, with continuous flow of trading traffic. Ships come and go, exchange and project booths are side by side, and the market never cools down. It’s not about where you come from, but whether you can hop on immediately. Low gas fees, a fast-paced environment, daily updates of new projects—some get rich, others exit in disappointment. You don’t need to think too much about city planning or buy into certain ideals—just sniff out where the hot spots are.

And what about Base? Its vibe is completely different. The ecosystem is more refined, participants come from more diverse backgrounds, and infrastructure is more solid. The pace isn’t as frantic; it’s more about rational building and long-term planning.

These two directions, fundamentally, are neither absolutely good nor bad—they just cater to different players’ needs. One is a stage for rapid iteration and risk-taking; the other is a relatively stable testing ground for ecosystems. Which one suits you better depends on your risk appetite and participation cycle.