Review of the Brave Web Browser and BAT Cryptocurrency

The Brave web browser has built-in user privacy settings and by default conceals advertisements that appear on websites it visits.

Users who agree to have advertisements displayed on the Brave Ads network in exchange for rewards in the form of the cryptocurrency known as Basic Attention Token (BAT) are able to take advantage of Brave’s innovative advertising approach.

The cryptocurrency wallet known as Brave Wallet is accessible within the browser, and it enables users to store and transfer assets belonging to EVM-compatible networks as well as cryptocurrency Solana.

The number of people using Brave approximately quadrupled per year from 2016 to 2021. Approximately 20 million people use the browser on a daily basis as of October 2022.

Features of the Brave Browser

Built on top of Chromium, the free and open-source Brave Browser is an alternative web browser. It is similar to the regular version of Google Chrome in appearance and functionality, with the exception that it does not automatically gather users’ personal information or display advertisements to users when they visit websites. Additionally, Brave prevents a user’s location from being tracked, protects against malware, does not automatically play videos, does not accept cookies from third parties, and does not generate a user’s digital fingerprint.

The first version of the browser merely featured the ability to stop advertisements from appearing on websites; but, later on, Brave Software announced the introduction of its very own advertising network called Brave Ads, which uses the Pay-to-Surf (PTS) business model.

If the user chooses the proper option inside the browser’s configuration options, it will become active. After that, the program will begin to track the user’s behavior and display advertisements that are pertinent to that data. You have the ability to change the seriousness of your advertisements. In return for their participation, the user will receive prizes in the form of BAT cryptocurrency. In addition to this, verified advertisers are given a proportionally smaller share of BAT rewards.

At the same time, the system decides which advertisements are displayed and under what circumstances they do so. Brave Software emphasizes that the absence of intrusiveness is the primary criteria for advertisements in their browser, independent of the placement of the advertisements.

The makers claim that the Brave browser is up to three times faster than Google Chrome and uses one third less memory than Chrome due to the fact that it blocks advertisements and tracking trackers on websites.

Main Characteristics of the Brave

Activating Brave Ads while disabling all other advertisements

One of the most significant benefits of using Brave is the built-in capability to block advertisements on websites. You have the option to turn on a specialized advertising network called Brave Ads, which will display tailored advertisements in exchange for rewards paid out in BAT.

At the time of registration, the user chooses the maximum number of advertisements that will be displayed to him by the system. When a link is clicked for at least five seconds, the advertising network will begin to tally BAT for the viewing of advertisements. You are even able to make micropayments through Brave Ads, which is a feature that is becoming uncommon in traditional forms of financial exchange today.

Contributions to content creators

You may leave the creators of your favorite channels on Twitch, Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, Vimeo, or GitHub a one-time “tip” if you use the Brave web browser. This feature also allows you to reward the producers of your favorite channels. The smallest amount that can be sent in one transaction is 1 BAT. In order to make use of this function, content creators are required to sign up for the project’s partner network. It is also possible to disable the feature that sends advertising revenue to the websites on which the user spends the most time.

Access to websites and online resources that have been restricted.

In the year 2021, support for the IPFS protocol was incorporated into the Brave Browser. It allows access to websites that have been blocked, speeds up the loading of those websites, and saves money on hosting fees. For instance, in Thailand there are areas of Wikipedia that do not work, and in Turkey there are around 100,000 websites that are restricted. If you use Brave Browser and either install the full protocol node or add the use of ipfs:/ addresses through the gateway, you will be able to access each of these pages in their entirety.

Own search engine

The developers of Brave decided to build their own search engine, which they named Brave Search, in 2021. This was done to demonstrate that Brave is the most private browser available. It does not record users’ IP addresses or other personally identifiable information because it is built on top of the open source Tailcat technology. Even while the user still has the ability to select a search engine, the Brave web browser comes equipped with its own in-built search engine by default.

The BAT Cryptocurrency

The BAT cryptocurrency is the primary one used on Brave. This particular token is an Ethereum-based ERC-20 token. As of the 10th of October, the token is being traded at $0.3, but in November 2021, when it was at the height of its rise, its value reached $1.7. All of the most important cryptocurrency exchanges, such as Kraken, Gemini, Binance, Coinbase, and Bitfinex, have now included the digital asset on their trading platforms.

Users of the Brave browser have the opportunity to earn BAT simply by viewing advertisements. The cryptocurrency wallet known as Brave Wallet is where payouts are sent. Users of the verified version of the Brave Wallet are eligible for BAT cashback equivalent to 20% of the costs paid while exchanging wallets.

Additionally, users who create content on networks such as YouTube, Twitter, and others can donate in the form of the BAT cryptocurrency to the creator. You are only allowed one withdrawal of funds every calendar month, and the amount you remove must be a minimum of 15 BAT.