What is Basic Attention Token (BAT)?

Deep Dive

1. Purpose & Value Proposition

BAT aims to fix the broken digital advertising model where user attention is exploited, privacy is violated, and publishers receive a small fraction of ad revenue. It creates a direct marketplace where advertisers pay for user attention, users are compensated for it, and content creators are rewarded fairly, all while preserving privacy (Emirex).

2. Technology & Architecture

BAT is an ERC-20 token, a standard built on the Ethereum blockchain. This means it inherits Ethereum's security and decentralization. Its primary technological integration is with the open-source Brave browser, which blocks intrusive ads and trackers by default. The token facilitates all value transfers within this ecosystem.

3. Ecosystem Fundamentals

The core functionality revolves around the Brave browser. Users who opt into Brave's privacy-respecting ads earn BAT. They can then use these tokens to tip websites and content creators or hold them. Advertisers purchase BAT to fund campaigns, and publishers earn BAT when they receive user contributions. This creates a closed-loop economy that rewards participation.

Conclusion

Fundamentally, Basic Attention Token is a user-centric digital advertising token that incentivizes attention while championing privacy. How will its value proposition evolve as privacy regulations and advertising models continue to change?