Standalone network (L1)
The native Subtensor coin
TAO transfers value on the chain and normally pays transaction fees. Root positions retain their principal in TAO. A native balance uses the Bittensor address and network selected for the transfer.
Your ecosystem guide / Bittensor
Bittensor: subnet work, TAO and alpha
Bittensor connects independent markets for digital work through the Subtensor blockchain. Subnets produce model responses, compute, storage or predictions. Their participants receive tokens under the network’s incentive rules. TAO is the chain’s native coin; each subnet has its own alpha, and root participants accrue a share of a separate asset basket.
- Network
- Subtensor: an independent Substrate chain
- Verified on 14.10.2026
- Native coin
- TAO; subnet positions use their own alpha
- Verified on 14.10.2026
- Block consensus
- Approved authorities, Aura and GRANDPA
- Verified on 14.10.2026
Bittensor
All sections
TAO, a subnet’s alpha and root basket shares
A position is identified by its asset and subnet. Its balance, market value and amount available on exit describe different things.
An asset belonging to one subnet
A subnet position holds that subnet’s alpha. Entering sells TAO for alpha; exiting sells alpha for TAO. The subnet number, or netuid, identifies which alpha is held.
A share of one root basket
Beta measures a share of a chosen root participant’s basket. The basket holds subnet positions; its TAO value follows their realizable sale quotes. Beta is recorded as a share count for that basket.
Producing work, scoring it and confirming blocks
A subnet sets the task and reward rules for its participants. Subtensor records their positions and distributions; its block-production mechanism operates separately.
Define a subnet’s incentives
The owner registers the subnet and configures its incentive mechanism. The task can concern inference, hardware capacity, storage or another digital service.
Produce the requested result
Miners deliver the work their subnet asks for. They compete for registration slots and rewards under that subnet’s quality and resource requirements.
Score subnet participants
Subnet validators score miners and submit weights. Yuma combines these evaluations with participant weight to determine rewards inside the subnet.
Produce and finalize chain blocks
Subtensor uses an approved authority set. Aura assigns block-production slots and GRANDPA finalizes the chain. These authorities handle block consensus.
TAO and participant positions
Subnet alpha or root TAO: entry, accrual and exit
A subnet entry exchanges TAO through its reserve and records alpha against a selected subnet evaluator. Root entry retains TAO principal and accrues entitlement to that participant’s separate basket. Each route has its own claim and exit.
Subnet alpha
- 01Choose the subnet and evaluator
- 02Exchange TAO through its reserve
- 03Record alpha in the position
Where rewards accrue
The position earns its share of the evaluator’s subnet rewards after the evaluator’s take. Accrual is denominated in that subnet’s alpha.
- How assets return to the wallet
- Sell position alpha back through the subnet reserve. The quote includes swap costs and trade impact; an execution-price limit can restrict or reject the fill. A completed ordinary exit returns spendable TAO. An optional conviction lock sets a minimum alpha balance that must remain on the subnet. Only the amount above that minimum can be withdrawn; a decaying lock lowers the minimum over time.
- What changes the position
- Alpha’s TAO price, reserve depth, accrued rewards and the evaluator’s take. Entering or exiting also changes the reserve, so a large trade can move its own execution price.
Root TAO
- 01Place TAO on root
- 02Accrue entitlement to a basket
- 03Claim into root TAO stake
Where rewards accrue
Root dividends accumulate as subnet assets in an escrow basket. Your entitlement is a share of that basket, while the original principal remains TAO on root.
- How assets return to the wallet
- A claim sells the owed basket share and adds the resulting TAO to the root position. If the network enables a root hold period, claiming restarts it: wait until it ends, then withdraw TAO separately. Removing principal without a claim leaves basket entitlement owed.
- What changes the position
- The basket’s assets, their realizable TAO quotes and the participant’s take. Accrued value changes with the basket; the original TAO principal is accounted for separately.
Use model inference, GPU workloads or chain tools
Compute products expose model APIs, hosted workloads and hardware capacity. A customer selects the service and pays its product tariff; subnet participation follows the network’s registration and reward rules.
Model inference and serverless compute
Chutes
Chutes serves open models through an API and provides Chat for direct use. Custom Chutes packages a model or application for hosted execution; its compute network participates in Bittensor subnet 64.
GPU virtual machines and sandboxes
Targon
Targon rents GPU virtual machines, dedicated servers and short-lived sandboxes. Workloads can be managed through its API, CLI or SDK; Manifold sources capacity through a Bittensor market and longer-term enterprise contracts.
Bittensor transactions and queries
Bittensor SDK
The Bittensor SDK and btcli read chain state, manage keys and prepare participant operations. Plan previews costs and effects before execution; policies can bound fees, spending and permitted subnets.
Receive native TAO and choose the signing key
A coldkey owns funds and signs transfers, registrations and position changes. A hotkey performs subnet work and submits evaluations. The operation determines which key signs and what balance pays.
Select the Bittensor receiving network
Open a native TAO receiving address in a supporting wallet. A transfer through Finney reaches Subtensor; a token using the TAO name on another network uses that network’s own asset route.
Choose the operation and participant
For an alpha position, select a subnet and evaluator. For root, select the participant whose basket accrues your entitlement. Producing or evaluating work also requires the subnet’s registration and resource setup.
Preview, sign and read the result
Plan shows predicted balance changes and fees. A subnet quote includes trade impact; a price limit controls execution. The receipt identifies the chain block and the resulting position.
Withdraw TAO from exchanges to Bittensor
| Coin | Exchange | Network on the exchange | Fee | Minimum | Withdrawals | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAO | OKX | TAO | 0.00003 | 0.0001 | Open | Withdraw |
| TAO | Binance | TAO | 0.0004 | 0.01 | Open | Withdraw |
| TAO | BingX | TAO | 0.0004 | 0.020747 | Open | Withdraw |
| TAO | Bitget | TAO | 0.0008 | 0.03698224 | Open | Withdraw |
| TAO | HTX | TAO | 0.001 | 0.01 | Open | Withdraw |
| TAO | Gate.io | TAO | 0.00173 | 0.00003713 | Open | Withdraw |
| TAO | Kraken | BITTENSOR | 0.002 | 0.01 | Open | Withdraw |
| TAO | MEXC | BITTENSOR(TAO) | 0.002 | 0.004 | Open | Withdraw |
| TAO | KuCoin | BITTENSOR | 0.0027 | 0.0054 | Open | Withdraw |
Exchange data as of 15.10.2026 01:07
Token rewards, swap costs and transaction payment
Ordinary chain operations usually pay TAO from the signer’s free balance. A subnet entry or exit also incurs its reserve’s swap charge, taken from the input asset. The two payments have different destinations.
Hold TAO, support a participant or do the work
Each path gives a different position: a spendable TAO balance, a recorded share of participant rewards, or a registered role producing and evaluating work.
Use a free balance
Free TAO can be transferred, used for chain operations or moved into a participant position. Accrual begins under the rules of the position you create.
Back a selected participant
A subnet position holds alpha and receives its reward share after take. A root position keeps TAO principal and accrues basket entitlement. The participant’s operation and fee affect the result.
Supply or evaluate a service
A registered miner supplies the subnet’s product; an evaluator scores the work and submits weights. Each subnet sets resource requirements, admission and competition for participant slots.
Network documents, people and communities
Bittensor SDK and CLI ↗Subtensor and subnet roles ↗Block production and finality ↗Assets, quotes and swap fees ↗Network reward allocation ↗Root Reborn and basket claims ↗
3 Discord communities on Bittensor
Checked on 14.10.2026
Bittensor
Bittensor’s own community for network development, mining and validation.
Community
About the ecosystem
Chutes
Chutes AI inference and deployment tools using Bittensor wallet authentication.
Community
About the ecosystem
Manifold
Manifold’s Targon compute infrastructure connected to Bittensor’s permissionless market.
Community
About the ecosystem
Full list on discordcatalog.com →
4 sources about Bittensor
Bittensor updates, subnet and wallet builders, and news about the network economy.Checked on 14.10.2026
Opentensor
opentensor
Bittensor updates on subnets, applications and changes to the network.
Official
Affiliation confirmed
Const
const_reborn
Writes about Bittensor subnets, new applications and tools for machine intelligence.
Community
About the ecosystem
Ala Shaabana
shibshib89
Bittensor co-founder, now building Crucible Labs: its wallet and TAO tools.
Builders
About the ecosystem
Tao Daily
taodaily_io
News about Bittensor subnets, applications and changes to the network economy.
News
About the ecosystem
Full list on xfollowlist.com →
Information reviewed: 14 October 2026
Practical questions
1Is a Bittensor subnet an Ethereum L2?+
A Bittensor subnet is a market for a particular kind of work. That work runs outside Subtensor, while Subtensor records participants, balances and incentive distributions.
2Can holding TAO make me a block producer?+
Subtensor assigns block production to its approved authority set. Subnet participation and TAO positions follow separate registration and incentive rules.
3What do I hold after entering a subnet?+
The position holds that subnet’s alpha against the chosen evaluator. Its TAO value depends on the alpha price, and the amount received on exit also includes swap costs and trade impact.
4Does a root claim transfer TAO to my free balance?+
A root claim sells the owed basket share and adds TAO to the root position. A separate root withdrawal returns spendable TAO to the wallet.
5Are network rewards paid from model customers?+
Bittensor rewards participants through its token issuance and allocation rules. Customers pay the selected compute or inference service under that product’s tariff.
6Why does a quote differ from a spot valuation?+
A sale uses the reserve’s available depth and changes that reserve as it fills. The exit quote accounts for this trade impact and fees; a spot valuation multiplies the position by the displayed price.