Base Blockchain Community Erupts in Controversy After Official X (Twitter) Account Promotes GrokCoin

The dispute highlights growing tensions between blockchain developers and platform operators over project visibility and promotional priorities.

A major controversy has erupted within the Base blockchain community after its official X (Twitter) account promoted GrokCoin, a newly launched token, while established builders expressed frustration over being ignored.

This incident sparked a broader discussion on project visibility and promotional priorities, highlighting growing tensions between blockchain developers and platform operators.

Base’s Endorsement of GrokCoin

Recently, GrokCoin, a newly launched token on Base, became a subject of controversy due to concerns over its legitimacy and association with Elon Musk's AI chatbot, Grok. However, despite the controversy, Base, an Ethereum Layer-2 (L2) network, showed support for the project.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Base highlighted GrokCoin's launch on Monday.

“In case you missed it, Grok launched a token on Base thanks to Bankr and Clanker's trading mechanisms. Grok's AI-controlled wallet is already stacking fees ($200K+ and counting). Why does it matter? AI is owning wallets, making markets, and generating revenue. Welcome to the future,” Base shared.

This endorsement from Base's X account sparked an immediate backlash from developers who have been working on projects for months with little recognition from the L2 blockchain's official channels.

Among the most vocal critics was Kawz, the founder of the Solana-based project Time.fun, who expressed frustration over Base's selective promotion strategy.

"I spent months building an application on Base and was never able to get the Base account to tweet about the product. Some shitposters convinced Grok to loosely give token details and launch a token, and it gets front-page coverage ++ farms degens with no utility," Kawz stated.

Highlighting the lack of acknowledgment for those building on-chain products, Kawz slammed the L2 chain for not covering any of the projects despite having a "huge ecosystem" of products launching on a weekly basis.

Further, blockchain speculator FloBro also chimed in, echoing similar sentiments and criticizing the L2 chain for engaging in activities that go against its own messaging.

"That's exactly what it is... not hard to do & marketed as if it's some huge tech advancement. Jesse Pollak and Base don't practice what they preach & that's why they're losing quality builders. They just push their little circle & ignore everyone else with alienating messages like 'Just keep building,' " the speculator said.

"Base is cringe... and that's why there was never a meme season. They don't get it," he added.

Despite the backlash, Shazam, a builder on Base, defended the actions of the L2 chain and provided more context into how the GrokCoin launch unfolded.

According to the builder, community members had to send 5 million BNKR tokens to Grok's wallet so that it could create the coin. Moreover, he noted that Grok's affiliation with Elon Musk could ultimately benefit Ethereum's ecosystem.

"I understand the pain here. However, the Banker bot that was set up using Privy_io to give X accounts Base wallets. Then community members had to send Grok 5 million BNKR coins to its wallet so it could make a coin. And that coin is generating fee revenue that could bring more attention to Base because Elon owns Grok. Which ultimately could help Ethereum in general," Shazam explained.

This dispute showcases a fundamental divide within the Base community. On one side, independent developers feel sidelined and disregarded for their endeavors. On the other hand, GrokCoin supporters highlight its potential to generate hype and new users for the ecosystem due to its AI-driven mechanics and high-profile associations.

As the controversy continues to unfold, pressure mounts on Base's leadership to clarify its promotional policies and address growing dissatisfaction among builders who feel overshadowed by hype-driven projects.