Basic Attention Token (BAT) is a digital advertising token that operates on the Ethereum blockchain. It seeks to establish a new system for digital advertising where users, advertisers, and publishers are compensated for their participation. BAT is the unit of exchange in this advertising ecosystem, with the intention of fairly rewarding users for their attention while providing advertisers with a more efficient return on their ad spend. This experience is facilitated through the Brave Browser, where users can view privacy-preserving adverts and may receive BAT tokens as compensation for doing so. Advertisers, in turn, can deliver targeted ads to maximize engagement and reduce losses due to ad fraud and abuse.

BAT functions within the Brave Browser, where users can choose to view privacy-preserving ads and may receive BAT tokens as a reward. Advertisers compensate for their advertising campaigns in BAT tokens. From this budget, a small portion is distributed to advertisers, while 70% is distributed to users. This system seeks to eliminate intermediaries that typically increase advertising costs, aiming to enhance cost-efficiency. The BAT ecosystem measures user attention to accurately compensate publishers, with attention and engagement verified using Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) protocols.

BAT seeks to enhance the digital advertising industry by creating a more efficient and fair system for users, advertisers, and publishers. Users may receive BAT tokens as compensation for viewing ads, contributing to a new form of attention economy. Advertisers can use BAT tokens to compensate for ad campaigns, potentially maximizing engagement and reducing losses due to ad fraud. Publishers can also benefit from BAT by receiving a fairer distribution of ad revenue. In the future, BAT could potentially be used in other browsers, messaging apps, and other digital platforms, expanding its use cases beyond the Brave Browser.

Basic Attention Token was introduced in 2017 following an initial coin offering (ICO). The project was initiated by Brendan Eich and Brian Bondy, two individuals with notable experience in the internet browsing software industry. Eich, the CEO of Brave Software, Inc, is the inventor of JavaScript and co-founder of Mozilla and Firefox. Bondy, Brave's and BAT’s CTO, is an experienced engineer with previous roles at Mozilla, Corel Corporation, and Khan Academy. BAT rolled out its attention-based advertising experience to users in most countries through its Brave Rewards program.

Basic Attention Token (BAT) is a key component of the Brave browser ecosystem. It is a digital advertising token that operates on the Ethereum blockchain and supports Brave's intention to enhance the browsing experience for all parties involved: users, publishers, and advertisers. When using the Brave browser, users have the option to participate in an inclusive advertising program that is attention-based. Users are presented with advertisements designed with privacy and anonymity in mind, which they can choose to engage with or ignore, and in exchange, they may receive BAT tokens as non-monetary incentives through the Brave Rewards program. The Brave web browser uses advanced algorithms to measure user attention. Brave and its partners aim not to harvest personal data or track users. Users may also use their BAT tokens to show appreciation to publishers for their content. The Brave ecosystem seeks to improve the ad placement experience for advertisers, provide an improved experience for publishers, and enhance the user experience — who view less frequent and more relevant ads that they can receive non-monetary incentives for engaging with.

The Brave browser takes a unique approach to online advertising and user privacy. It intends to offer a browsing experience with enhanced privacy features by blocking third-party ads and trackers. This not only aims to speed up page loading times but also strives to enhance user privacy by preventing user tracking by advertisers. Instead of traditional ads, Brave introduces its own ads and users may receive Basic Attention Tokens (BAT) as non-monetary incentives for viewing these ads. The data used to serve these ads is stored locally on the user's device, ensuring that no personal data leaves the browser. Brave does not store any user data on its servers, reinforcing its commitment to user privacy. Users can also opt to contribute their BAT rewards to content creators and publishers. This approach seeks to balance user privacy with support for content creators.

The Basic Attention Token (BAT) model aims to establish a mutually beneficial ecosystem for users, publishers, and advertisers. Users may receive BAT tokens by opting to view ads, with the amount of BAT received calculated based on the visibility and duration of the ad in the user's active tab. This provides a mechanism for user engagement with ads, potentially providing a more receptive audience for advertisers. Publishers may also receive BAT tokens when users view their content and the ads served alongside it. This provides a mechanism for publishers to produce content that attracts users. Advertisers may find value in this model as it provides a clearer understanding of ad effectiveness through Brave's Attention Value system. The BAT model has a focus on upholding user privacy by ensuring that user behavior across websites never leaves the browser, thus maintaining user privacy.

Basic Attention Token (BAT) has formed several strategic partnerships to develop its ecosystem and encourage usage. One such partnership is with Solana, a high-performance blockchain platform. This collaboration allows Brave browser's millions of users and content creators to access Solana's decentralized applications (DApps), facilitating the usage of BAT, the native digital currency of the Brave Browser. Another partnership is with TAP Network, a Rewards-as-a-Service technology company. This collaboration allows Brave desktop users to exchange BAT for non-monetary benefits from over 250,000 top brands and merchants in the TAP Network. BAT has also hinted at a potential partnership with a major content publishing website, which could potentially influence cryptocurrency usage. However, the details of this partnership are yet to be disclosed. These partnerships seek to develop the digital advertising experience for advertisers, publishers, and users, and to broaden the application of BAT.

The Brave browser seeks to alter the way targeted advertising is handled online by prioritizing user privacy and consent. Unlike traditional browsers, Brave blocks invasive ads, cross-site trackers, and fingerprinting by default. It does not collect individual IP addresses and offers an anonymized network routing feature using the Tor network for privacy and security considerations. Brave's approach to advertising involves the use of Basic Attention Tokens (BAT), a form of cryptocurrency. Users who opt-in to view ads from Brave's advertising partners may receive BAT as non-monetary rewards. This system is designed to provide users with BAT for their attention while maintaining their privacy. The ads are matched directly on the user's device using on-device machine learning, ensuring no personally identifiable data ever leaves the user's device. This approach allows Brave to provide an alternative method to access user attention without the inherent liabilities and risks involved with large scale user data collection.

The BAT Grants program is a crucial part of the Basic Attention Token (BAT) ecosystem, focusing on user engagement and content creator support. The program distributes BAT tokens to users of the Brave browser, which can then be utilized to reward their preferred content creators. This initiative is funded by the User Growth Pool (UGP), a reserve established to encourage participation in the BAT platform. The grants are intended to be used within 90 days to support content creators. This system seeks to cultivate a balanced digital advertising space with considerations for users, publishers, and advertisers. Over 16,000 creators from various platforms have joined the Brave Publishers program, receiving monthly BAT payments from user donations and the creator referral program. This approach intends to consider the sustainability of content creation and a balanced, user-centric online advertising model.

Basic Attention Token (BAT) operates within a distinct economic model, often referred to as tokenomics. Tokenomics is the study of the economic systems behind cryptocurrency tokens or crypto assets. It encompasses factors such as total supply, future dilution, initial distribution, vesting periods, utility, burn mechanisms, and economic stability. BAT's tokenomics aims to positively influence its utility through strong utility, limited supply, and high usage due to its role within a vibrant ecosystem. For instance, BAT has a capped supply and regular burn mechanisms which might see its utility enhanced as the circulating supply decreases, assuming usage remains constant or increases. Conversely, if a token has weak utility, an oversaturated supply, and no distinct role or usage within its platform, its utility might be lessened. Therefore, understanding the tokenomics of BAT is beneficial for those engaged in the crypto space, as it directly influences the utility and potential of this digital asset.

When users engage with these ads, they may receive BAT tokens as non-monetary rewards, which is intended to incentivize user engagement. This model is designed with user privacy in mind, while still aiming to enable advertisers to reach their target audience effectively. Advertisers can target ads based on anonymous aggregated data, eliminating the need for invasive tracking mechanisms. BAT also provides a platform for advertisers and publishers, enabling auditable and verifiable transactions. This approach is designed with the intention of optimizing the use of advertising budgets and reducing the need for intermediaries. Publishers may receive a proportionate allocation of the non-monetary rewards based on user attention, with the intention of encouraging quality content creation and fostering a sustainable publishing model.

The Basic Attention Token (BAT) platform has been utilized for a variety of initiatives and projects. One of the primary uses of BAT is within the Brave browser, where users may receive BAT as non-monetary rewards by viewing opt-in ads and then use their tokens to support content creators. BAT has been integrated into various decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols and gaming platforms, allowing users to utilize their BAT within these platforms. BAT has also found utility in the gaming industry, with integrations into gaming ecosystems and the hosting of special BAT tournaments. BAT can be used as a method of transaction in certain commerce platforms. BAT has also been used for philanthropic purposes, with certain organizations adding BAT as a crypto asset type for donations.

Basic Attention Token (BAT) strives to address the issue of ad fraud and bot traffic in the digital advertising space by creating a transparent and efficient digital advertising market. BAT's approach is based on the Ethereum blockchain, which provides a decentralized and transparent platform where transactions can be tracked and verified, reducing the chances of fraud. BAT also uses a specific model where users are rewarded with BAT tokens for their attention, meaning that advertisers can ensure that their ads are being viewed by real people, not bots. Moreover, BAT's browser, Brave, has built-in ad and tracker blocking, which further reduces the potential for ad fraud.