SKALE Launches Ethereum Layer 3 on Base to Power On-Chain AI Agents

Layer 1 blockchain network SKALE has introduced a new Ethereum Layer 3 solution by deploying on Base, the Layer 2 ecosystem backed by Coinbase. The new network, referred to as SKALE on Base, has been described by project representatives as purpose-built for agent workloads, with a particular emphasis on supporting the Coinbase-incubated x402 payments protocol designed for AI-driven systems.

A SKALE representative indicated through private communication that AI agents require more efficient blockspace to operate on-chain. The team explained that the SKALE Expand framework allows the SKALE Manager — the smart-contract layer responsible for enabling SKALE Chains — to be deployed on any EVM-compatible blockchain. This approach is meant to extend SKALE’s core benefits, including gasless transactions, instant finality, and enhanced privacy, across multiple EVM environments.

Combining SKALE’s Scalability With Base’s Liquidity

The new deployment is intended to help AI agents leverage SKALE’s performance-driven infrastructure while benefiting from the liquidity, user base, distribution channels, and fiat onramps available on Base. SKALE has been expanding its toolkit for secure and efficient blockchain interactions, including the release earlier this year of the BITE Protocol, a mechanism designed to combat malicious MEV behavior such as front-running, sandwich attacks, and sniping attempts.

In addition to these features, SKALE on Base will introduce a credit-based computing model aimed at simplifying the user experience for both agents and AI-powered applications. The team noted that users familiar with cloud-based compute credits will find the system intuitive. Under this model, users avoid dealing with gas fees altogether. Instead, they can prepay for computational credits using USDC or SKL directly on Base, creating a more predictable and user-friendly environment for frequent on-chain operations.

Layer 3s Provide Flexibility Beyond Layer 2 Capabilities

Developers behind the initiative emphasized that Layer 3 networks offer specialized customization that Layer 2s alone cannot efficiently support. By building on top of Base, the new L3 inherits the underlying network’s security, liquidity, and developer ecosystem. This creates a hybrid architecture in which AI agents can operate across chains while retaining access to the tools and user bases they rely on.

The launch marks the first activation of SKALE Expand, a multi-chain initiative intended to position SKALE as a universal agent layer. The long-term vision is to allow SKALE to function behind multiple Layer 1 and Layer 2 networks while enabling users, liquidity, and applications to remain rooted in their original ecosystems.

A Unified Execution Environment for On-Chain Agents

SKALE stated that its overarching objective is to provide agents with a consistent operating environment across all supported chains. The team noted that agents currently face the challenge of adapting to different gas models, user experiences, and fee structures on each blockchain. By creating a unified execution model, SKALE aims to eliminate these barriers and simplify cross-chain deployments.

As SKALE Expand is rolled out to additional networks, the project expects that agents and AI-driven protocols using x402 will be able to run their code seamlessly across a wide range of blockchain ecosystems. The initiative is positioned as a critical step toward building a cohesive infrastructure layer for on-chain agent technology, supporting a future where AI systems routinely interact with decentralized applications.

With this deployment on Base, SKALE is establishing its role in shaping how AI agents operate across the broader Ethereum landscape, providing a scalable, gasless, and developer-friendly Layer 3 environment designed for the next generation of autonomous blockchain applications.