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title Base API
description Blockscout API access for Base (chain ID 8453): REST, JSON RPC, and ETH RPC endpoints, paid tiers from Builder, and migrating from Etherscan.

Base API Access with Blockscout

Base is Coinbase's Ethereum L2 and one of the fastest-growing chains in the ecosystem. With its 2026 strategy focused on tokenized markets, stablecoin payments, and developer tooling, Base has become a magnet for consumer dapps, DeFi, SocialFi, and AI agent applications. Its TVL has grown into the multi-billion dollar range, and hundreds of teams are building across the stack.

Base API access requires a paid plan.

Base Chain ID: 8453
Explorer: base.blockscout.com
Blockscout API Base: https://api.blockscout.com (use chain_id=8453)

Quick Start

Get your first API response in under 60 seconds:

# Get ETH balance for an address on Base via Blockscout API
curl "https://api.blockscout.com/v2/api?chain_id=8453&module=account&action=balance&address=0xYOUR_ADDRESS&apikey=proapi_YOUR_KEY"

Get your API key at dev.blockscout.com — required for all Blockscout API tiers.

Blockscout API Routes for Base

All routes use Base's chain ID (8453):

JSON RPC v2 (Etherscan-compatible):

https://api.blockscout.com/v2/api?chain_id=8453&module=account&action=txlist&address=0x...&apikey=proapi_xxx

JSON RPC:

https://api.blockscout.com/8453/api?module=account&action=txlist&address=0x...&apikey=proapi_xxx

REST API:

https://api.blockscout.com/8453/api/v2/addresses/0x.../transactions?apikey=proapi_xxx

ETH RPC (POST):

curl -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -H "authorization: Bearer proapi_xxx" \
  -X POST \
  --data '{"id":0,"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"eth_blockNumber","params":[]}' \
  https://api.blockscout.com/8453/json-rpc

Available Endpoints

Etherscan-Compatible Modules

All standard modules work — if you've used Etherscan's Base API before, the same parameters apply:

  • Account — Balances, transaction lists, token transfers, internal transactions, ERC-20/721/1155 activity (plus Blockscout extras: eth_get_balance, pendingtxlist, tokenbalance, tokenlist)
  • Contract — ABI, source code, verification (plus: listcontracts, getcontractcreation, Vyper & Sourcify verification)
  • Transaction — Status checks (plus: gettxinfo)
  • Logs — Event logs with filtering by address, topics, block range
  • Token — Token metadata, holders
  • Stats — Supply, chain statistics, coin price
  • Block — Block rewards, countdown, block number by time
  • Gas Tracker — Gas oracle, gas estimates

REST API

Blockscout's native REST API provides enriched metadata, decoded input data, NFT media and attributes, smart contract read/write interaction, and chain health monitoring — all accessible through the Blockscout API.

→ Full REST API Reference

Base API Pricing

Tier Rate Limit Credits Price
Builder 15 RPS 100M/mo $49/mo
Pro 30 RPS 500M/mo $199/mo
Business 50 RPS 3B/mo $999/mo
Enterprise Custom Custom Contact us

Every tier includes access to all 117 Blockscout-supported chains — not just Base. One API key, one account, one chain_id parameter swap to query any network.

Switching from Etherscan's Base API?

Since both APIs now use a unified multichain format, the migration is a base URL and key swap:

// Before (Etherscan V2)
const resp = await fetch(
  `https://api.etherscan.io/v2/api?chainid=8453&module=account&action=balance&address=${addr}&apikey=${ETHERSCAN_KEY}`
);

// After (Blockscout API)
const resp = await fetch(
  `https://api.blockscout.com/v2/api?chain_id=8453&module=account&action=balance&address=${addr}&apikey=${BLOCKSCOUT_KEY}`
);

Same structure: chainid → chain_id, swap the base URL and key.

→ Full Migration Guide

What Developers Build on Base with Blockscout's API

Consumer Dapps & SocialFi — Base is home to Farcaster, Zora, and a growing SocialFi ecosystem. Blockscout's API powers transaction history, token balances, and NFT data for these applications.

DeFi Backends — With billions in TVL across DEXs, lending markets, and yield platforms, Base DeFi apps rely on explorer APIs for contract data, event monitoring, and position tracking.

AI Agents & Automation — Base's 2026 roadmap includes native support for AI agent smart accounts. The Blockscout API and MCP server provide the structured onchain data these agents need.

Wallets & Portfolio Trackers — Pull complete transaction histories, multi-token balances, and NFT holdings for Base addresses through a single API key that also covers every other chain.

Base on Blockscout

As part of the OP Superchain, Base benefits from Blockscout's native support for L1↔L2 transaction tracking, including deposit and withdrawal views and cross-chain message debugging. With the Blockscout API's multichain architecture, querying Base is just one chain_id parameter away from querying Ethereum, Optimism, Arbitrum, or any other supported network.

Get Started

  1. Get an API key at dev.blockscout.com
  2. Purchase an access tier starting at $49/mo
  3. Use chain_id=8453 in your Blockscout API requests
  4. Explore available endpoints

→ Start Building on Base · → Blockscout API Routes Reference