Here’s everything you need to know about Brave’s Basic Attention Token (BAT), a novel cryptocurrency built on the Ethereum blockchain that wants to upend the entire online advertising business…
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The Basic Attention Token (BAT) is a decentralized, transparent digital advertising platform built on the Ethereum blockchain. It aims to create a more efficient, fair, and secure way of connecting advertisers, publishers, and users.
- BAT is integrated into the privacy-focused Brave web browser, which blocks intrusive ads and trackers by default. Users who opt-in to view privacy-respecting ads are rewarded with BAT tokens for their attention.
- Advertisers can use BAT to pay for ad space and user attention on the Brave platform. They benefit from better targeting, reduced fraud, and more accurate reporting compared to traditional digital advertising systems.
- Publishers receive a larger share of ad revenue in BAT, based on the measured attention of their content. The BAT system helps them mitigate the effects of ad blocking and offers an alternative monetization model.
- Users’ attention is privately monitored and measured on-device in the Brave browser, using machine learning algorithms. Users earn BAT for viewing opt-in ads, which they can donate to their favorite content creators, use to access premium content, or exchange for other rewards.
- BAT ensures user privacy by default. User data is kept on-device and is not shared with advertisers or publishers without explicit consent. The BAT ecosystem provides a transparent and auditable way of valuing and exchanging user attention.
- The BAT token is designed to have utility within the advertising ecosystem. It can be exchanged between users, publishers, and advertisers, and is used to quantify the value of user attention.
Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are confusing. For most people, they’re just things you see in the news’ headlines from time to time. But Brave has a novel approach to crypto that literally anyone can get behind.
BAT stands for Basic Attention Token and it is Brave’s attempt – Brave is the company behind the Brave web browser – at changing how online content monetization works. Traditionally, ads – like ours – run adverts to make money from their “free” content. This is how publishing has worked since day one – it all started back with print hundreds of years ago.
In the case of modern, digital advertising which is now almost entirely programmatic there’s a lot of stuff that has to happen to make it work, a lot of trackers, scripts and cookies. And from a privacy perspective, this isn’t good.
Google’s entire business model is built on tracking and harvesting data which is then sold on to its advertising partners. This is why Chrome, Google search, YouTube, and even Gmail are all free – they’re data collection tools.
With BAT, Brave presents another way of “doing” online advertising and it is one with privacy baked into it at its core. Sounds interesting, right? Here’s everything you need to know…
What is Basic Attention Token (BAT)?
PinBasic Attention Token is a cryptocurrency built on the Ethereum blockchain. It’s designed to revolutionize the digital advertising industry by creating a decentralized, transparent, and efficient ad exchange. That’s the 10-second pitch.
Here’s the longer answer:
BAT is a non-fungible token, like bitcoin. It is built on the Ethereum blockchain and it is predominantly used inside the Brave browser ecosystem.
BAT is designed to upend the current online advertising model: programmatic ads, powered by invasive scripts and trackers.
And the company does not pull any punches in its summary of how modern ad-tech systems work:
The promise of advertising technology (“ad-tech”) was to create a more efficient marketplace for attention. The hope was that the Internet, the latest kind of “new medium,” would arrive with a transparent and efficient ad marketplace.
In theory, excellence would be rewarded. The best journalism and entertainment would receive the attention and funding it deserved. Ad tech would “get marketers closer to their users via data analysis, immediate valuation and distribution.”
Ad-tech introduced a host of correlated problems for publishers, advertisers and users. Users have lost their privacy, face increasing malware, pay high charges to download ads, and suffer slow speeds. Publishers have lost billions in revenue while fraud has skyrocketed. And advertisers face poor reporting and targeting.
BAT whitepaper
BAT represents another way to do things and, while it is a massively bold undertaking, I cannot help but be impressed by the vision of how it all works, especially since I earn a living as a publisher.
But BAT still has some massive hurdles, potentially insurmountable hurdles, to overcome before its vision for BAT can be properly realised.
First, the surge of BAT is predicated on people switching away from browsers like Chrome and Edge and Safari to Brave.
There’s plenty of reasons to do this, outside of getting some BAT, but whether people en masse will is another thing entirely – Chrome is the dominant browser on the market and that isn’t going to change any time soon.
How Does Basic Attention Token Work?
PinThe BAT ecosystem is powered by the Brave browser – a fast, privacy-focused browser that blocks ads and trackers by default. Once you install Brave, you can choose to opt-in to privacy-preserving ads and be rewarded with BAT tokens for your attention.
This means you, the reader, can get paid for reading and consuming content via the Brave browser. Similarly, publishers that support BAT can also be paid for their content. Sounds like a win / win, situation, right?
Inside the standard internet, publishers – for the most part – monetize with adverts, programmatic ones. These types of ads require tons of data, your data, for targeting so as to ensure the advertiser is getting in front of the right people.
Publishers and content creators also receive a fair share of the ad revenue generated on their sites, while advertisers benefit from better targeting and less fraud.
Advertisers purchase BAT to pay for ad space, users are rewarded in BAT for viewing ads, and publishers receive BAT based on the attention their content generates. The more attention a piece of content receives, the more BAT tokens the publisher earns.
The only real issue with it is that BAT isn’t really worth anything, not compared to more stable and popular coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Or, you know, USD. This makes it a hard sell for publishers because programmatic ad networks pay so much more.
How To Buy Basic Attention Token?
PinIf you’re interested in buying BAT, you have several options outside of using the Brave browser ecosystem. The most common method is to purchase BAT on a cryptocurrency exchange like Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, and Gemini.
To buy BAT, you’ll need to create an account on one of these exchanges, verify your identity, and fund your account with either fiat currency (like USD or EUR) or another cryptocurrency (like Bitcoin or Ethereum).
Inside Brave, you’re currently limited to Uphold for managing your BAT. Uphold, in my experience, isn’t the best wallet out there. I’ve had multiple issues getting my account verified and moving funds between other wallets.
Brave has confirmed it will soon be adding another option in the form of Gemini but as yet it is still a work in progress. As someone that has been in the Brave ecosystem since day one, its reliance on Uphold is one of BAT’s biggest drawbacks.
I cannot get through the verification process with Uphold. It is just rubbish. I should be able to upload scanned documents to verify. A horrible first impression as a supporter of the platform and concept.
Get. A. Better. Wallet!
Brave Community
Basic Attention Token (BAT) Price Tracker
Real-Time Basic Attention Token (BAT) Price Tracker
As noted earlier, BAT is not a premium coin. You’re not going to get rich trading BAT.
Compared to more stable coins like bitcoin, BAT is tiny by comparison. But unlike bitcoin, BAT has applications outside of trading – and that’s the point.
The BAT price tracker above lists the price of BAT in real-time, so if you’re ever in doubt about how much your BAT is worth, just check this page.
Basic Attention Token Price Prediction
PinMany investors are curious about the future potential of BAT. While it’s impossible to predict the exact price of BAT in the coming years, some analysts believe it has significant growth potential.
Factors that could influence BAT’s price include the adoption rate of the Brave browser, the success of the BAT advertising ecosystem, and overall market conditions in the cryptocurrency space.
The yearly low Basic Attention Token price prediction for 2025 is estimated at $0.304136. This represents a potential bottoming out point for BAT during that year. On the other hand, the price of Basic Attention Token is predicted to reach as high as $1.724346 in 2025.
Compared to the current price, this upper target indicates a potential gain of 414.82% for BAT holders.
Looking further ahead, the Basic Attention Token price prediction for 2030 presents an even more bullish scenario, according to some sources.
The analysis suggests that the yearly low price for BAT in 2030 could be around $1.071029, representing a significant increase from the current levels.
Meanwhile, the upper price target for Basic Attention Token in 2030 is set at $3.71. If BAT manages to reach this high, it would represent a staggering gain of 1,008.45% compared to today’s price.
Here’s a table summarising the Basic Attention Token price predictions for each year from 2025 to 2030:
| Year | Yearly Low | Yearly High |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $0.304136 | $1.724346 |
| 2026 | $0.613516 | $1.843666 |
| 2027 | $0.286812 | $0.812909 |
| 2028 | $0.286313 | $0.519682 |
| 2029 | $0.406655 | $3.46 |
| 2030 | $1.071029 | $3.71 |
Basic Attention Token Wallets
To store your BAT tokens, you’ll need a compatible wallet. The Brave browser has a built-in BAT wallet, which allows you to easily manage your tokens within the browser, currently via Uphold. But you can link other wallets as well. Uphold is still Brave’s main partner however, for better or worse.
Other popular options include hardware wallets like Ledger or Trezor, which offer an extra layer of security by storing your tokens offline. You can also use software wallets like MyEtherWallet or MetaMask, which are compatible with the Ethereum blockchain.
Investing in Basic Attention Token / Final thoughts
PinIf you’re considering investing in BAT, it’s essential to understand that BAT, like any cryptocurrency, comes with its share of volatility and uncertainty.
BAT does have some unique USPs, however, that some analysts believe could make it a viable investment option for the long haul – things like it now being accepted and used by big name advertisers, the rising popularity of the Brave browser, and the fact that it is easier to acquire than coins like Bitcoin.
For a general return on investment, however, my advice would be to look elsewhere: BAT is just too small right now to yield any significant gains.
You should use Brave, though. It is a superb web browser, free from trackers and it’ll keep your personal data out of the hands of Big Tech.
And while you’re using Brave, you might as well opt in for BAT and start earning as you browse online – you’ll effectively get paid for doing nothing other than what you normally do online.
And if BAT goes to the moon, you’ll make yourself a tidy sum of money. In this context, it’s a no-brainer. But as a traditional crypto investment (if that is even a thing anymore), you’re going to be better off (meaning, you’ll potentially make larger returns) with something bitcoin or ethereum.
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