I am located in Germany and previously used Brave Rewards with an Uphold account. I have received BAT payouts from Brave in the past.
After reinstalling Windows and Brave, Brave Rewards became unavailable. The browser now shows: “Brave Rewards unavailable in your region”.
My IP location is Germany, I do not use a VPN, and Germany is not listed as an unsupported jurisdiction. Also, Brave Rewards does not appear in brave://components.
What Operating System and Brave version are you using?
Windows 11
Brave 1.90.128, Chromium 148.0.7778.217, official build, 64-bit
Is your Brave Rewards Profile currently connected to a custodian or Solana?
It was previously connected to Uphold. After reinstalling Windows and Brave, I cannot access Brave Rewards, so I cannot reconnect it.
What date did you connect your Brave Rewards Profile?
I do not remember the exact date.
Have you been able to successfully receive payments in the past?
Yes. I have received BAT payouts from Brave Software International to my Uphold account in the past.
1. brave://rewards-internals Availability The brave://rewards-internals page is a developer/debugging tool that may not appear in all Brave installations or versions, particularly if Brave Rewards is disabled or if the specific build does not expose it. However, its absence does not necessarily mean the feature is missing; it is often hidden when Rewards is inactive. If it is truly missing, it may indicate a custom or minimal build of the browser.
2. Regional Restrictions are the Primary Issue The error “Brave Rewards unavailable in your region” is the critical factor. Brave Rewards is not available in several jurisdictions, including but not limited to:
Belarus, China, Cuba, Hong Kong, Iran, Macao, Moldova, North Korea, Russia, Syria, Tanzania, Ukraine, Venezuela.
If you are in one of these unsupported regions, or if your IP address indicates you are there, Brave Rewards will be disabled entirely. This explains why:
You cannot access brave://rewards (the feature is blocked).
You cannot see your Rewards country or connect Solana (wallet features are inactive).
brave://rewards-internals may not be accessible because the underlying service is disabled.
Current Status for German Users
New Users: Cannot verify or connect any wallet (Uphold, Gemini, or sometimes even Solana self-custody if the initial verification check fails).
Existing Users: If you were verified before he restrictions (mid-2022), you might still be able to receive payouts, but if you disconnect, you likely cannot reconnect.
Solana Connection: The inability to connect Solana specifically confirms that the verification gateway is blocked. Even though Solana is a self-custody option, the initial “linking” process often requires a successful region check that Germany currently fails.
Conclusion
Your installation is working correctly; the region lock is intentional due to third-party compliance issues. Until Uphold, Gemini, or a new partner (like BitFlyer or a specialized EU provider) resumes full service for German residents, Brave Rewards will remain inaccessible for new setups in Germany.
