How Base Crypto Snipers Extracted $1.3M From Founder's Token Launch

In a sophisticated display of automated trading prowess, two blockchain traders deployed sniper crypto algorithms to capture over $1.3 million in profits during the launch of Base founder Jesse Pollak’s creator token in November 2024. The winning snipers purchased roughly 26% of the total JESSE token supply within a single on-chain block, demonstrating how technological advantages can translate into extraordinary returns in decentralized finance.

The 200-Millisecond Technology Edge

Base’s introduction of flashblocks—a series of 200-millisecond micro-blocks nested within each standard two-second block—created an unprecedented opportunity for sniper crypto traders. Unlike traditional blockchain sniping that required access to private mempool data, this new architecture allowed sophisticated bots to detect token deployment transactions the moment they appeared in the first flashblock and respond with competing buy orders that would settle in the subsequent flashblock.

What made this sniper behavior possible was fundamentally a timing advantage. When the 500 million JESSE tokens were seeded into a liquidity pool, these automated traders spotted the deployment transaction and immediately submitted high-priority fee orders. Both the token creation and the purchase executed within the same on-chain block, creating what analysts call “same-block” front-running—a technique now increasingly common in crypto markets.

The Winning Sniper Strategies

The top-performing sniper crypto trader spent approximately $191,000 to acquire 7.6% of JESSE’s initial supply. To secure priority ordering, this trader paid over $44,000 in sequencer fees to the Base infrastructure—a willingness to absorb high costs that ultimately proved worthwhile. After liquidating their full position, this wallet netted more than $600,000 in profit, according to on-chain data analysis.

The second-place sniper walked away with $619,600 in gains, while the top earner captured $707,700. Together, these two traders demonstrated that sniper crypto strategies have evolved from simple arbitrage into sophisticated multi-parameter optimization across price, timing, and fee allocation.

The Flashblocks Mechanic Behind Base’s Sniping

The mechanics enabling these sniper activities differ fundamentally from earlier memecoin mania-era front-running tactics. Rather than relying on dark pool visibility or sequencer collusion, Base’s flashblocks create a transparent but rapid-fire environment where fee-based ordering determines transaction priority. Bots can now detect a token-deployment transaction the moment it appears and submit competing orders that both transactions confirm in the same on-chain block.

This architecture represents a deliberate design choice by Base builders, though it has inadvertently created an arms race among sniper crypto traders. The ones with the highest fee budgets and fastest execution environments capture the largest opportunities.

Creator Coins and Market Implications

Jesse Pollak had positioned JESSE tokens as alignment tools between creators and their communities. The token hit a $13.8 million fully diluted valuation with $4.4 million in liquidity and $33.5 million in trading volume shortly after launch. However, the sniper crypto dynamics meant that the earliest token holders—not the broader community—captured substantial value during this critical price discovery phase.

This outcome raises questions about the fairness of creator token distributions on Layer 2 blockchains and whether sniper participation in early token launches represents a feature or a bug in decentralized finance infrastructure.