BASE - "eth_sendRawTransaction" Error 429 "Over Rate Limit"

BASE is an Ethereum Layer 2 chain built on the Optimism framework. As part of this architecture, transaction submissions via eth_sendRawTransaction are routed through a central sequencer, a protocol component responsible for ordering and propagating transactions to the network.

The BASE sequencer enforces global rate limits at the protocol level. Users transacting on BASE may encounter the following error:

{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "error": {
    "code": -32016,
    "message": "over rate limit"
  },
  "id": 1
}

📘

Note

This error originates from the BASE sequencer, not from Tatum infrastructure.

Root Cause: BASE Protocol Sequencer Limitations

Unlike most blockchain networks that distribute transaction propagation across a decentralized mempool, BASE centralizes transaction submission through a single sequencer endpoint:

--rollup.sequencerhttp=https://mainnet-sequencer.base.org

Implications of this design:

• All eth_sendRawTransaction calls are funneled through one global entry point.
• These limits are applied globally.
• Errors can occur even under valid usage if the sequencer is saturated.

At the time of this writing, this architecture means no provider can bypass or elevate these limits until the BASE team updates protocol logic or introduces additional sequencer infrastructure.

Known Symptoms

• Frequent 429 Too Many Requests responses.
• Transactions not appearing on-chain.
• Broadcast failures even with retry logic.
• Irregular transaction throughput under load.

Developers on BASE have reported widespread impact post-upgrade v0.12.3. See GitHub Issue #390 for current protocol tracking.