Basic Attention Token (BAT) is a cryptocurrency token founded by Brave Inc. for their web browser Brave. The creators of BAT wanted to improve the way advertising is conducted on digital platforms today. They observed the current trends being unfavorable to users, advertisers, and even publishers. Users are overburdened with ads on generic browsers, and there is a risk of powerful and dangerous malware. Further, advertisers do not have proper targeting methods and fail to deliver essential information sufficiently as the online platforms are mostly monopolized2. Even mainstream publishers faced a dramatic decline in their ad revenues as platforms like Google and Facebook charge a hefty fee on advertising revenue. Hence, BAT is a utility token used as a unit of account between advertisers, publishers, and users on the Brave platform. It is an innovative token fuelled by a blockchain-based digital advertising approach.
According to the whitepaper, the primary component of BAT is Brave. It is a fast, privacy-focused, open-source browser that can block third-party ads and trackers. In addition, it has a built-in ledger system that measures user attention for every ad (user reach) and rewards publishers accordingly. It also compensates browser users for their attention while protecting their privacy. Thus, BAT is a payment system that rewards and protects its users while offering better incentives to advertisers and a higher yield to publishers. Also, according to the website, the Basic Attention Token will directly measure, exchange, and verify user attention.
Emphatically, if a user wants to earn BAT, they can select to view ads in their browser settings. Also, advertisers have to buy ads with BAT, which are then forwarded to publishers (for hosting) and browser users (for viewing). Presently, the advertising budget is undertaken only in Basic Attention Tokens, which advertisers can acquire from various third-party crypto exchange platforms. Of the budget, Brave gets a small commission, and the rest is distributed among publishers and users. Token holders can also use their BAT tokens for premium content and services on the Brave browser or tip them to publishers of their choice. For publishers who want to avail their BAT tips, they are to be verified first. By registering as a verified Brave publisher, content creators can receive tokens and even exchange them for any other currency they like. There are a number of verified Brave publishers, like The Washington Post, The Guardian, Nomics.com, Archive.org, SourceForge, and many others. Interestingly, one of the main distinguishing features of BAT and the Brave browser system is its capacity to reward users outside the network as well. The system includes websites and individual users on Twitter. Such users can then securely sign up to the platform to collect the rewards they have accumulated.