One of the main propositions of blockchain is to provide more privacy and security to its users while taking technology to the next level of efficiency. Developing an open internet with a private browser had been a challenge in the cryptocurrency space for years until the emergence of the Brave internet browser.
Though browsers such as Google Chrome, Edge and Mozilla Firefox emerged, there was a need for an alternative that could address issues related to privacy and security for a long time.
The Brave browser’s unique features and performance empower the user’s experience. These features are privacy, security, speed, in-browser video calls and an aggressive anti-ad design. It’s standard practice to add browser extensions to block or filter annoying ads, whereas the Brave search engine performs these tasks automatically with its built-in ad-blocker Brave Shields.
User privacy and security are ensured through features like the hypertext transfer protocol secure (HTTPS) feature, the Brave virtual private network (VPN), the onion router (TOR) and incognito mode integrations.
Here’s a comprehensive guide to the next-generation Brave private browser, its critical features, and why it is becoming increasingly popular among cryptocurrency enthusiasts and others.
What is the Brave browser?
The Brave browser is an open-source internet search engine designed by Brave Software, Inc. It is based on Chromium, a free, open-source web browser developed and maintained by Google.
Brave’s founders are CEO and computer programmer Brendan Eich, who developed the JavaScript programming language and co-founded free software Mozilla, the company behind Firefox; and chief technology officer Brian Bondy, who had also worked at Mozilla as a senior software engineer. They launched the project in January 2016 to create a faster, more private version of Google Chrome.
By default, the California-based private browser removes all ads and trackers from users’ web pages. However, it also allows users to view the ads if they wish. By turning on the option in their settings and viewing ads, users are rewarded with Basic Attention Tokens (BATs), the project’s native cryptocurrency. Even in that case, user data is protected and stored in the browser’s private user data folder. It never reaches Brave’s servers, nor is it leaked to third parties.
Brave Rewards enables users to contribute to creators with on-demand contributions, monthly recurring contributions and auto-contribute. On-demand contributions resemble tips. Users need to visit a Verified Creator website or channel and press the BAT icon in the URL bar. They can now select the amount they want to contribute.
With monthly recurring contributions, users can automatically send a contribution of some amount every month to a creator. The Auto-Contribute feature enables users to set a monthly contribution budget.
As of December 2023, Brave disclosed that it had surpassed 65.17 million monthly active users, along with 24.57 million daily active users, and boasted a network comprising over 1.6 million content creators.
One can download Brave for free directly from the company’s website. The page automatically recognizes the device’s operating system and matches the correct version. Brave browser iOS and Android mobile versions are available in the App Store and Google Play.
How does the Brave browser work?
Whenever users visit a web page in Brave, the browser will automatically remove all ads, natively including key tools that would otherwise have to be added via extensions such as AdBlock, Ghostery and uBlock Origin.
When enabling Brave ads, the browser replaces the regularly annoying and spamming ads with the ones from its catalog, which is updated every hour and shows users ads based on their searches, using data that never leaves their devices.
This process analyzes users’ engagement with their most-visited websites and generates personalized ads matching advertisers with users based on their browsing habits. It is a win-win for all participants because advertisers can deliver targeted ads for the highest engagement and return, while users can earn rewards by viewing the ads.
Advertisers pay for their campaigns in BAT ERC-20 tokens, a small portion of which is returned to advertisers when they get relevant traffic; a small commission is rewarded to Brave; and 70% is distributed to users. This way, the high expenses of advertisement intermediaries, like agents and campaign managers, are removed for cost efficiency.
Brave ads can be in the form of sponsored images on new browser tabs, sponsored cards in the Brave News feed and small, infrequent notifications pushed while browsing the web. The Brave search engine is set up as the browser’s default selection, but any alternative option can be added manually, including DuckDuckGo, Google and Bing.
Brave is powered by the same engine as Google Chrome and can run Chrome’s extensions. The user can choose Brave extensions from the main menu, which will lead to the Chrome web store, where users can pick and choose their favorite add-ons.
Why do users choose the Brave browser?
Users choose the Brave browser for its speed and privacy, both made possible by its software ad-stripping methodology. Its speed is boosted by eliminating ads and ad tracker extensions that slow down browsers and drain central processing units (CPUs), the leading electronic part of a computer that executes instructions.
By loading less data and providing more built-in privacy and security features, Brave’s performance is an excellent perk for users concerned with the intrusion of Big Tech companies.
Privacy is ensured without ads, which notoriously leak personal data. Indeed, most browsers allow the dissemination of users’ data through ads. At the same time, Brave claims that even those who choose to view the company’s private and selected ads enjoy complete privacy because their data is never sold to third parties.
In 2021, Brave Browser integrated InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) into its desktop web browser for Windows, macOS and Linux to boost security and access to the decentralized web. IPFS is a peer-to-peer hypermedia protocol designed to make the web faster, safer and more open by outperforming the Hypertext Transfer Protocol, or HTTP, which transfers web pages across the network.
Besides being a privacy- and speed-focused browser, Brave also attempts to reform online advertising in a way that’s beneficial to advertisers and users. Its upgraded ad model gives websites, content creators and users a way to monetize without interfering with or disturbing users’ online experiences or risking their privacy.
Brave offers an alternative to traditional online advertising with its blockchain-based transparent ad exchange. This new ad model allows all participants to earn browser rewards in BAT tokens. To enable Brave Rewards on desktop or mobile, the user must click the BAT icon in the Brave browser’s address bar.
What is the Basic Attention Token (BAT)?
BAT is an Ethereum-based ERC-20 utility token that is rewarded to users for the time they spend on the browser. Besides accumulating BAT as a store of value in case they become more profitable over time, participants can use the tokens to support their favorite registered websites and content creators.
BAT can also be turned into cash and cash-value gift cards; they can be collected as frequent flyer points and used at any participating retailer, such as Domino’s, eBay, Amazon and Apple, to name a few.
Earned BAT can be stored in the Brave Wallet, a digital tool that allows users to buy, send, manage and exchange almost every crypto asset or nonfungible token (NFT) and connect other wallets and decentralized finance (DeFi) decentralized applications (DApps).
How and where to buy the Basic Attention Token (BAT)
The Basic Attention Token was launched in 2017 following one of the fastest sell-out initial coin offerings (ICOs) of all time. The platform raised a total of $35 million in under a minute.
Besides earning through the Brave Browser, BAT can be bought on major cryptocurrency exchanges such as Coinbase, Binance, Gemini, KuCoin and Kraken, trading them with other major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin , Ether or fiat currencies.
Brave vs. other browsers
Ad blocking and filtering have become necessary features for browsers that are often judged on how efficient they are. Since the creation and proposition of Brave, mainstream providers such as Chrome, Safari and Firefox have also enhanced their ad-blocking commitment by adopting some anti-tracking defenses. Thus, this feature alone is no longer unique to Brave.
Then, it should be clear by now that Brave’s pitch vs. other browsers is its overall performance, including speed, privacy, its rewards model and built-in anti-ads features. Brave is regarded as better than its main rival, Chrome, in terms of speed and memory usage. It claims to be three times faster than Chrome’s in page loading time and even four times faster on the phone.
In 2024, Chrome uses 1,000 megabytes for 10 tabs, while Brave uses 920MB. Mozilla Firefox consumes 960MB for 10 tabs, while Safari takes 1,200MB for the same amount.
Switching from an old browser to Brave is made easy by downloading it and selecting “Import” to instantly duplicate your entire work library. Just like Chrome or Safari, Brave can be synced on all computers, allowing users to share bookmarks, settings and passwords for a flawless transition experience between devices.
Is Brave a safe browser?
In terms of security and privacy, Brave simply outperforms the likes of Chrome, Safari and Edge. Brave claims to be the most secure browser because it was built to protect users from ads, trackers and other malicious content online by sending only a few essential requests to other websites. The ad blocker is enabled by default, with no user data leaving their browser when they opt-in to Brave ads.
Brave enhances site security with regular upgrades to HTTPS for secure, encrypted communication and contains a native firewall and VPN. In addition, Brave provides built-in integration with its onion router through private windows that allow users to mask their internet protocol (IP) address, keeping them anonymous while online