Brave Bitcoin Browser Secures Funding And Announces September Launch

The Brave Bitcoin browser has been attracting a lot of attention as of late. Now that the team has secured US$4.5m in funding, the tentative launch date has been scheduled for September 2016. The company hopes to change the way people browse the internet and think about advertisements on web pages.

Brave Secures Funding before Launch

An exciting project such as the Brave browser is always in need of funding. The startup raised US$4.5m recently, from investors such as Pantera Capital, Digital Currency Group, and a few others. All of this money will be used to further develop and grow the ad-blocking browser, and its Bitcoin micropayments capabilities.

Unlike traditional browsers, Brave will let users swap out regular ads for “trusted advertisements” to enhance the browser experience. Content creators need to make money somehow, and banner advertisements remain a traditional business model. By actively blocking [malicious] traditional ads, the browsing experience should speed up by as much as 60% on devices.

By partnering with Coinbase and BitGo, Brave users will have access to built-in Bitcoin wallet and purchasing tools. The new Bitcoin micropayment system, called Brave Ledger, will help content creators earn a living instead of showing their advertisements. Moreover, this solution will allow for users to remain anonymous while making these payments. It is good to see the company respect users’ privacy.

Brave Software President and CEO Brendan Eich stated:

“Online advertisers have been exploiting user data for years without consent, sometimes even infecting devices with malware. It’s no wonder that 200 million users worldwide have adopted ad-blocking to defend themselves. Viewing content on the Internet should not come at the expense of one’s safety. The Brave solution fends off intrusive ads and stops the collection of personal details by third parties, enhancing not just browsing speed, but security and privacy. With Brave, users can now fight back and keep their data private and defensible on their devices, while still supporting the content they wish to view via micropayments.”

For now, the team has set a release date for September 2016. A developer version is available for users who want a sneak preview of what is to come. Users can also download the Bitcoin-supported browser for mobile devices, as well as all the main operating systems on desktops and laptops.

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