Base, a major chain within the Optimism Superchain, has announced its departure, leading to a significant drop in the OP token's value. Following the announcement on February 18, 2026, the OP token plummeted 28% in 48 hours, with trading volumes surging 157%. The token now trades at $0.12, a sharp decline from its March 2024 high of $4.85. Base's exit is attributed to technical reasons, including the desire to unify codebases and accelerate development cycles. This move has raised concerns about Optimism's revenue model, as Base contributed 96.5% of all gas fees to the Optimism Collective. The lack of launched interoperability features has further strained the Superchain's value proposition, leaving Optimism to reconsider its strategy amid shifting market dynamics.