Jesse Pollak rejects ‘behind-the-scenes’ token price boosts on Base

Base’s Jesse Pollak rules out using Base funds to pump tokens, insisting on lawful, transparent, organic price discovery.

Jesse Pollak, creator of Coinbase-backed Layer 2 network Base (BASE), has publicly rejected calls for the platform’s team to intervene in token prices, stating such actions would be illegal and undermine market integrity.

In a post on X, Pollak stated the Base core team would not “support the chart behind the scenes,” directly addressing community members who have urged the network to use internal capital to push specific tokens higher, according to the post.

Pollak said privately coordinating or deploying funds to drive the price of an asset toward a desired outcome would disadvantage other tokens, undermine trust in the ecosystem, violate Base’s commitment to free and open markets, and likely break the law, according to his statements.

The creator added that while the team would continue to improve how it drives visibility and distribution for applications and assets built on Base, price discovery must remain organic and transparent, the post stated.

The comments came amid growing frustration among some traders who argue that Base lacks a breakout token capable of attracting sustained speculative interest. A host of a popular Base-focused livestream said the network did not have what it takes to push a project into the hundreds of millions in market capitalization and suggested shifting attention to other chains, according to reports.

Other users pushed back, saying the issue was not unique to Base but reflects a broader problem across cryptocurrency markets, where meme-driven speculation has become dominated by short-lived price increases.

Pollak’s response drew support from parts of the community, while others disagreed over how networks should compete for attention. Some users complained that Base had the option to rally around certain tokens and failed to do so, citing examples of projects they thought could have been used as flagship assets.

Pollak acknowledged the frustrations but said that in the long term manipulation only results in recurring losses, whereas fair markets enable participants to learn, adapt, and ultimately prosper, according to his statements. He noted that Base remains committed to serving creators, builders, applications, and meme culture on the network, and that the Base app is moving toward a more trading-oriented experience to highlight activity throughout the ecosystem.

The executive drew a clear line between promotion and manipulation, saying that secret coordination to inflate prices is incompatible with Base’s role as open infrastructure and with Coinbase’s obligations as a U.S.-regulated public company, according to the post.

The debate also revived scrutiny of earlier incidents that shaped perceptions of Base’s role in meme token markets. In 2025, Base faced criticism after its official account posted “Base is for everyone,” followed by a tokenized version of the post minted on Zora. Although Base said the token was a creative experiment and not an official product, the episode fueled accusations of implicit endorsement and intensified calls for regulatory scrutiny.

Pump-and-dump activity has been a persistent issue on Base, where low transaction costs and fast execution have made it easier for bad actors to deploy, promote, and exit tokens within hours, according to market observers. Research during peak meme token periods suggested that a significant share of newly launched Base tokens had severe security flaws or malicious features, including honeypot contracts and unlocked liquidity. These dynamics have contributed to large losses for retail traders and reinforced demands for clearer standards.

Pollak’s statements appear aimed at distancing Base from those practices while leaving room for structured, transparent incentives. In replies to users, he said open systems such as competitions or clearly defined liquidity programs could be explored if they are implemented publicly and fairly, according to his responses.