Jesse Pollak, the creator of Ethereum layer 2 blockchain Base, is stepping into a new leadership role at Coinbase, where he will also take over management of Coinbase Wallet. This strategic move, announced by Pollak, is expected to help address some of the user experience (UX) challenges that have hindered widespread crypto adoption.
Enhancing User Experience Through Coinbase Wallet and Base
Pollak’s expanded role will see him continue leading the Base team while also focusing on integrating Base with Coinbase Wallet, a non-custodial crypto wallet supporting thousands of decentralized apps and coins across multiple blockchains. Pollak explained that this collaboration aims to make it “dead simple for the world to come onchain.”
Industry observers believe Pollak’s involvement in both projects could significantly improve the crypto user experience, a critical issue that has slowed mainstream adoption. Jacob Horne, co-founder of media-focused blockchain Zora, emphasized that combining Coinbase Wallet with Base could be a game-changer for the industry.
“A cohesive pairing of Coinbase Wallet and Base likely means a level up of the overall UX of the industry,” Horne said.
Driving Mass Adoption with an Improved User Interface
Pollak’s vision aligns with Coinbase’s broader mission to simplify the onchain experience for millions of users. As Altcoin Psycho, a popular pseudonymous crypto analyst, noted on social media, Pollak’s approach could effectively bridge the gap between offchain and onchain user interfaces, making crypto more accessible to everyday users.
“The end game to merge the offchain & onchain UX/UI by leveraging Base, Coinbase advanced, and Coinbase Wallet makes me so optimistic on mass adoption,” he shared with his 505,000 followers on X.
Pollak’s new role is seen as a pivotal moment for Coinbase as it works to streamline its products and push toward mass adoption. His addition to Coinbase’s executive team also reflects the company’s commitment to innovation in user experience, particularly as it continues to expand its reach in the decentralized finance space.
A Key Player in Coinbase’s Growth
Before leading the development of Base, Pollak played a crucial role in Coinbase’s growth. From 2018 to 2021, he headed the company’s consumer and retail engineering teams, contributing to the development of Coinbase Pro and Coinbase Wallet. His leadership has been integral in shaping Coinbase’s product offerings, positioning him well to lead its next phase of growth.
Pollak reiterated that Coinbase Wallet will continue supporting the entire blockchain ecosystem, from Bitcoin and Ethereum to emerging networks like Avalanche and BNB Chain, as part of its broader goal of bringing billions of people onchain.
