How to earn and use virtual currency with Brave browser

The creators of the privacy-focused Brave browser created a cryptocurrency or virtual currency, called Basic Attention Token or BAT , that users can earn by watching ads and paying. for favorite websites. Today's article will show you how to start earning BAT and how to use it.

Download and install Brave browser

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You can download a browser here . The installer is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux (distros Debian 9+, Ubuntu 14.04+, and Mint 17+). This is a small download that downloads and installs the browser software in turn, similar to how other Chromium browsers do. On disk, the browser took up 495MB when installed (roughly equal to Chrome).

Get to know Brave

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Having a welcome slideshow takes you through importing bookmarks, blocking ads, setting up your search engine (DuckDuckGo recommended, as a privacy protection option) and Brave Rewards, which are also the main focus of the article. Today, the use of electronic money Basic Attention Token.

Reward Activation

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The activation of the reward is done with just one simple click. Then you are ready to earn, buy or spend BAT cryptocurrency. You have two basic options to enable or disable: Ads and Auto-Contribute . If you enable Ads , you'll earn BAT by viewing ads on participating sites. If you turn on Auto-Contribute , the participating websites you visit will receive the BAT you have earned or purchased.

Browse and make money!

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Note the dashboard on the right side of the browser's main screen that says "You're getting paid to view this background image"  . That's because it's a sponsored image, in this case it's from BlockFi.com . You will see your BAT balance on the home page in the Brave Rewards section.

Note that the ad that helps you earn BAT is not a standard website ad. You can still block those ads with Brave ad blocker. They also don't track you the way standard ads do and are less invasive.

Contribute to websites

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The red triangle in the top right is the key point of the BAT reward system. Note the green check mark here, it means the website accepts BAT. After clicking that, you will see the drop-down panel shown above. There, you can add the site to your contributions or remove it.

Tip is allowed

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Not only can you contribute to the websites you view, but you can also tip individuals on Twitter, Reddit, and Github. This also requires verification of the Uphold account. Notice that the red triangle also shows a blue check mark here.

Verify your wallet (Optional)

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You can earn and contribute with BAT without signing up for anything. But if you want to cash out with BAT or contribute to your account with money from other sources, you need to verify your wallet through Uphold.

As with most things online, you start out by entering your email and password. Uphold also needs information about your country and state, in order to comply with local laws. Unfortunately, it is not licensed to trade cryptocurrencies in New York, despite being in the process of being approved. To finish creating your account, you'll need to enter your real name, date of birth, and phone number. You also need to take a photo of your ID and face.

Receive rewards from the TAP network

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Amazon, Walmart, Uber etc. gift cards can be yours if you buy them with your BAT balance in Brave. This also requires setting up a TAP account and connecting it to your verified Uphold account.

Set up a crypto wallet

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A little confusing, this digital wallet is completely separate from BAT Rewards program. It only allows you to store cryptocurrencies in a browser or connect hardware wallets from Ledger and Trezor. To create a wallet, you only need an email address and a password. You will be shown a secret phrase of words that you need to secure (save in the LastPass security note).

You will only see BAT and Ethereum in the wallet. I can deposit $ 5 worth of Ethereum into my wallet (0.0243ETH at that time) using a QR code on my Brave wallet. Unfortunately it is not possible to convert it to BAT, but it is possible to use it on the web.

Wallet backup

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Since the rewards are tied to having Brave installed on your device, you can get a recovery key when switching devices. Note that this backup is for your Brave Rewards wallet, not the separate crypto wallet that we just discussed.

Withdraw money from the bonus

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As mentioned earlier, the BAT cryptocurrency aims to support the websites you love, rather than help you get rich. But you can exchange BAT for real money using Uphold (assuming you live in a place where Uphold is authorized).

Simply click the Withdraw Funds icon in the right panel of the Brave Rewards page of Settings . You can then convert the BAT to another cryptocurrency, into US dollars, Argentine Pesos or any of the more than two dozen other currencies, and transfer it to your bank account.

Samuel Daniel

Update 12 April 2021