Base App pivots to trading as Creator Rewards end

No official sunset; Base pivots to trading-first experience

Base App is pivoting to a trading-first user experience. Despite headlines that the app is “sunsetting Creator Rewards,” there is no official statement confirming a full shutdown of the program; current reporting points to a reprioritization rather than removal.

As reported by BeInCrypto, leadership communicated a trading-first strategy and indicated that Mini Apps and creator coins remain supported, with emphasis on driving demand and distribution for assets. That framing contrasts with the “sunset” claim and implies rewards mechanics or surface areas could change without being terminated.

Why finance-first over SocialFi matters for Base users and creators

A finance-first orientation prioritizes tradable assets and market utility over purely social engagement. According to KuCoin News, Dragonfly Capital partner Rob Hadick said the pivot reinforces the view that blockchains work best for moving money, reflecting a broader maturation from SocialFi experimentation toward financial primitives.

For users, this can mean clearer flows for discovery, pricing, and execution across assets; for creators, it may tie visibility and earnings more closely to on-chain activity metrics rather than social gestures. These shifts require careful UX choices to balance trading features with ongoing creator tools so that both utility and participation remain intact.

In leadership remarks summarizing the rationale and near-term approach, Jesse Pollak, Head of Base, said: “Tl;dr: We’re focusing the Base app to be trading-first to drive demand and distribution for every asset …”

Immediate changes: trading-first UX and asset discoverability

Immediate product emphasis centers the feed and navigation on trading. Leadership messaging has highlighted improved asset discoverability and performance metrics while keeping Mini Apps and creator coins available.

Practically, a trading-first UX prioritizes access to more tradable assets, faster surfacing of relevant markets, and clearer telemetry around what is gaining traction. Creator tools remain, but their placement and measurement may evolve to align with the finance-focused layout.

Creator Rewards status: what’s confirmed, what remains unverified

Confirmed elements include a shift to a trading-first strategy and continued support for Mini Apps and creator coins via better discoverability. Unverified at this time is any official announcement that Creator Rewards have been fully sunset or that creator revenue-sharing has ended; the term “sunset” has not been used in leadership messaging reviewed to date.

As reported by The Defiant, industry coverage frames the move as a response to mixed SocialFi reception rather than a withdrawal of creator incentives. Future adjustments to reward mechanics or prominence are possible, but no termination has been announced in leadership communications.

At the time of this writing, Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN) traded around 166.19 USD in overnight activity, up 0.65%, based on data from NasdaqGS. This context does not determine product decisions but illustrates broader investor attention around the company’s ecosystem strategy.