You may be prompted to upgrade the wallet linked to your Base app in order to use it in Base mode.
Upgrading enables you to use all of the features included with Base mode without needing to transfer your digital assets to a new wallet. You also get the benefits of a Base account, including free network fees on many transactions.
A Base account is a new kind of crypto wallet that can do more. It's powered by smart contract code that enables advanced features such as sponsored network fees and batched transactions, making your crypto journey easier. Learn more about Base accounts or review the contract code and audits on GitHub.
Upgrading and access to your assets
When you upgrade, you provide a signature that authorizes your wallet to use the Coinbase Smart Wallet smart contracts. This authorization is then appended to your account onchain, which allows your wallet to act like a next-generation smart wallet. Learn more from the Securing EIP-7702 upgrades blog post and the EIP-7702 specification.
When upgrading, your assets remain secure and accessible in your wallet - and you still have ownership and control over them. Use your recovery phrase to import and access your wallet and funds with any other compatible wallet app.
Use Base mode without upgrading
You can use Base mode without upgrading your wallet, but you need to create a new Base account, or import a pre-existing one.
To use Base mode without upgrading your wallet:
Select your profile picture to open the tray.
Toggle the Base mode switcher on.
When asked to upgrade, select More options.
Create or import an existing Base account.
To use the assets in your existing wallet in Base mode, you need to manually transfer them to your new, upgraded wallet.
You must wrap certain assets, like Bitcoin, to use them on Base. If you don’t, you can still access them (and any other assets not yet supported by the Base app) by switching out of Base mode.
Recovery and security
Your recovery phrase is the only way to recover your funds if you lose access to the app, forget your password, or switch devices. Back up your recovery phrase, even after upgrading.
When you upgrade your wallet, you authorize the Coinbase Smart Wallet smart contracts to manage your wallet functions. These contracts have passed multiple external security audits and power the default Base accounts we create for all new users.
Be sure to follow all best practices in recovery phrase backup, protection, and privacy.