Basic Attention Token (BAT) is a digital advertising token which is built on the Ethereum blockchain. The BAT platform was developed by the creator of JavaScript and co-founder of Mozilla and Firefox, Brendan Eich. It was introduced to the market in 2017 through an initial coin offering (ICO).
The Basic Attention Token aims to improve the efficiency of digital advertising. It does this by creating a new unit of exchange between publishers, advertisers, and users. The value of the token is based on user attention, which is essentially a measure of mental engagement.
BAT is used within the Brave browser, a free and open-source web browser developed by Brave Software, Inc. that blocks ads and website trackers, providing a way for users to navigate the internet without being tracked while still supporting content creators.
Users of the Brave browser can opt in to view privacy-respecting advertisements and receive BAT as compensation. On the other hand, advertisers pay with BAT to show their ads to users. Users can then donate their earned BAT to websites and content creators.