Brave Search Takes Stablecoin Payments as Basic Attention Token (BAT) Plan Expands

Brave lets AI agents pay for individual Search API requests with stablecoins, while its Basic Attention Token (BAT) roadmap proposes a broader rewards system linked to wallet, card and BravePay activity.

The payment flow lets agents request web search results, AI-ready context, news and place information without an account or API key. Each request requires a separate payment. An unpaid request returns an HTTP 402 Payment Required response listing available payment options.

Brave launched its LLM Context API on Feb. 12 and made an improved Place Search API available July 8. Those AI-focused search tools were in place before the July 9 BAT Roadmap 4.0 outlined plans to expand payment support across Brave products.

The roadmap proposes adding x402 and Machine Payments Protocol (MPP) support to Brave’s browser, Search API and other offerings over time. It also includes a redesigned Brave Wallet and BravePay, a stablecoin payment protocol. The roadmap does not set one launch date for these planned additions.

A proposed Brave Rewards Card would be available in virtual and physical forms and offer BAT rewards on purchases in eligible markets. A planned Creator Contribution Protocol would pay registered creators when participating AI products use their content.

Brave plans to direct a percentage of net revenue from specified wallet, card and BravePay activities toward BAT buybacks. The roadmap sets no fixed percentage or purchase amount. The described agent search payments use stablecoins, not BAT, although the roadmap proposes adding x402 and MPP support to the Search API over time.

Brave also plans to begin gradually phasing out its Brave Ads Notification unit by the end of 2026. Rewards for other eligible ads would continue. The roadmap adds transaction-related rewards and buybacks to an existing model that uses BAT purchases to fund ad rewards.

As of Sept. 30, Brave had 128.3 million monthly active users and 54.6 million daily active users. The company plans to provide more details on BAT’s role in the rewards system later this year.