What is Basic Attention Token (BAT)?

Deep Dive

1. Purpose & Value Proposition

BAT aims to fix digital advertising’s broken incentives by aligning rewards with user attention. Traditional models often exploit user data and underpay creators. BAT flips this:
- Users earn 70% of ad revenue in BAT for opting into privacy-focused ads (Millionero).
- Publishers receive BAT based on engagement, bypassing ad blockers and platforms that siphon revenue.
- Advertisers gain verified attention metrics and reduced fraud via blockchain transparency.

2. Technology & Architecture

BAT operates on Ethereum as an ERC-20 token, leveraging smart contracts for ad campaign governance. Key features include:
- Brave Browser integration: Ads are served locally, avoiding trackers and data leaks.
- Zero-knowledge proofs: Protect user privacy while validating ad interactions.
- Self-custody payouts: Recent upgrades enable BAT rewards to be claimed directly to Solana wallets, reducing Ethereum gas fees.

3. Tokenomics & Governance

• Fixed supply: 1.5 billion BAT, with 1 billion sold in a 2017 ICO that raised $35M in 30 seconds. Remaining tokens fund ecosystem growth.
• Decentralized governance: Brave’s community calls (@AttentionToken) guide protocol upgrades, though major decisions are still influenced by Brave Software.

Conclusion

BAT reimagines digital advertising by prioritizing user consent, privacy, and fair compensation through its Brave browser integration. While adoption challenges persist, its model showcases blockchain’s potential to disrupt opaque industries. How might BAT’s integration with emerging chains like Solana expand its utility beyond ads?