Basic Attention (BAT): how it works, supply and reviews
In short
- Type
- ERC-20 token native to Ethereum
- Maximum supply
- 1.5 billion BAT, with over 99% in circulation
- Risks and caveats
- BAT's use depends largely on one company's products: the Brave browser, Brave Ads and Brave Rewards.
- Checked
- 28 October 2026
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Key facts
- Ticker
- BAT
- Network
- token on Ethereum
- Launched
- 2017-05
- Official site
- basicattentiontoken.org
- Whitepaper
- basicattentiontoken.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/BasicAttentionTokenWhitePaper-4.pdf
- Source code
- github.com/brave-intl/publishers
Data: CoinGecko, 2026-10-27. Only projects that still trade with meaningful volume are listed.
What is Basic Attention
Basic Attention Token (BAT) is an ERC-20 utility token created by Brave Software for the advertising and rewards system built into the Brave browser. Users can earn BAT for viewing privacy-respecting Brave Ads and use it to support content creators, while advertisers use it to buy ad placements.
Network and consensus
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | ERC-20 token native to Ethereum |
| Runs on | Ethereum and Solana (Wormhole-bridged SPL token); bridged versions exist on other networks |
| Launched | Token sale on 31 May 2017 |
Supply and issuance
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Maximum supply | 1.5 billion BAT, with over 99% in circulation |
| Initial distribution | 1 billion BAT sold, 200 million development team pool, 300 million user growth pool |
| Token sale | The 2017 sale raised the equivalent of 156,250 ETH; no follow-on sale is planned |
What BAT is used for
- Earned by Brave browser users who opt in to view Brave Ads through Brave Rewards.
- Used to support and tip websites and content creators.
- Used by advertisers to obtain ad placements on the BAT platform.
- Brave plans BAT buybacks from Wallet, Card and BravePay revenue to fund user rewards.
Who develops and governs Basic Attention
- Company
- Brave Software, which develops the Brave browser
- Founders
- Brendan Eich (founder and CEO, creator of JavaScript) and Brian Bondy (founder and CTO)
- Open source
- Brave Rewards and Brave Ads protocols and code are open source
History
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 31 May 2017 | BAT token sale: 1 billion BAT sold at 6,400 BAT per ETH. |
| 10 February 2021 | Updated BAT whitepaper published by Brave Software. |
Security and audits
- The BAT contract was deployed before ERC-20 recommended throwing on invalid transfers; it returns false instead, which integrators need to handle.
Official BAT contracts
| Network | Contract address |
|---|---|
| Ethereum | 0x0D8775F648430679A709E98d2b0Cb6250d2887EF |
| Solana | EPeUFDgHRxs9xxEPVaL6kfGQvCon7jmAWKVUHuux1Tpz |
Ethereum is the native contract; the Solana address is the Wormhole-bridged SPL version that Brave officially supports.
Risks and caveats
- BAT's use depends largely on one company's products: the Brave browser, Brave Ads and Brave Rewards.
- BAT holders get no ownership, revenue share or other rights in the BAT platform or Brave.
- Brave Rewards is limited on iOS devices.
Official links
- Website: basicattentiontoken.org
- Whitepaper: basicattentiontoken.org/static-assets/documents/BasicAttentionTokenWhitePaper-4.pdf
- FAQ: basicattentiontoken.org/faq
- Brave Rewards: brave.com/brave-rewards
Questions and answers
What is Basic Attention Token (BAT)?
BAT is an ERC-20 utility token used in the Brave browser's ad and rewards system, where users earn it for viewing opt-in ads and use it to support creators.
Who created BAT?
BAT was created by Brave Software, founded by Brendan Eich and Brian Bondy. Its token sale took place on 31 May 2017.
What is the maximum supply of BAT?
The total supply is 1.5 billion BAT: 1 billion sold, 200 million for the development team and 300 million in a user growth pool.
Is BAT a security?
The project describes BAT as a utility token that gives no ownership, revenue or security rights in the platform or in Brave.
Sources
- CoinGecko — Basic Attention
- Basic Attention Token — Overview
- Basic Attention Token — FAQ
- Brave Software — BAT whitepaper (10 February 2021)
- Brave — What is Brave Rewards?
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