Bittensor (TAO) Tokenomics

Bittensor (TAO) Tokenomics

Discover key insights into Bittensor (TAO), including its token supply, distribution model, and real-time market data.
Page last updated: 2025-10-22 17:49:51 (UTC+8)
USD

Bittensor (TAO) Tokenomics & Price Analysis

Explore key tokenomics and price data for Bittensor (TAO), including market cap, supply details, FDV, and price history. Understand the token's current value and market position at a glance.

Market Cap:
$ 3.90B
$ 3.90B$ 3.90B
Total Supply:
$ 21.00M
$ 21.00M$ 21.00M
Circulating Supply:
$ 10.14M
$ 10.14M$ 10.14M
FDV (Fully Diluted Valuation):
$ 8.08B
$ 8.08B$ 8.08B
All-Time High:
$ 777.26
$ 777.26$ 777.26
All-Time Low:
$ 30.40095531468245
$ 30.40095531468245$ 30.40095531468245
Current Price:
$ 384.88
$ 384.88$ 384.88

Bittensor (TAO) Information

Bittensor is an open-source protocol that powers a decentralized, blockchain-based, tokenized machine learning network. The project is designed to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence by introducing an optimized training strategy in which models interact in an incentivized, iterative ecosystem, while also advancing a more equitable and collaborative approach to its ownership and access.

In-Depth Token Structure of Bittensor (TAO)

Dive deeper into how TAO tokens are issued, allocated, and unlocked. This section highlights key aspects of the token's economic structure: utility, incentives, and vesting.

Bittensor’s token economics are designed to incentivize decentralized AI and digital commodity markets through a unique, Bitcoin-inspired issuance and allocation model, with additional mechanisms for usage, incentives, and governance. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of the TAO token’s economics, including issuance, allocation, usage, incentives, locking, and unlocking mechanisms.

Issuance Mechanism

  • Fair Launch: No pre-mine, ICO, or team allocation. All TAO tokens are mined by network participants (miners and validators).
  • Fixed Supply & Halvening: The maximum supply is capped at 21 million TAO. New tokens are issued at a fixed rate of 1 TAO per block (every 12 seconds), equating to 7,200 TAO per day.
  • Halvening Schedule: The issuance rate halves each time 50% of the remaining supply is mined, not at fixed block intervals. This is similar to Bitcoin but is triggered by supply milestones, not block numbers. The halving schedule is as follows:
Halvening EventStart DateDaily IssuanceDuration (days)Unlock Mechanism
Genesis2021-01-035,461.13129Linear
1st Halving2021-11-219,953.891,389Linear
2nd Halving2025-09-105,250.001,458Linear
3rd Halving2029-09-072,625.001,458Linear
4th Halving2033-09-041,312.501,458Linear
5th Halving2037-09-02656.251,459Linear
6th Halving2041-08-30328.131,458Linear
7th Halving2045-08-27164.061,458Linear
8th Halving2049-08-2482.031,458Linear
9th Halving2053-08-2141.021,459Linear
10th Halving2057-08-1920.511,458Linear
11th Halving2061-08-1610.251,458Linear
12th Halving2065-08-135.131,458Linear
13th Halving2068-08-102.561,459Linear
14th Halving2071-08-071.281,458Linear
  • Recycling Mechanism: TAO tokens used for transaction fees, miner/validator registration, and subnet creation are “recycled” (burned and returned to the unissued supply), which can delay halving events and reduce effective inflation.

Allocation Mechanism

  • All tokens are distributed to network participants (miners and validators) via block rewards. There is no team, foundation, or investor allocation.
  • Subnet Emission Distribution: After emissions are allocated to subnets by the root network (SN 0), each subnet distributes its share as follows:
Recipient% of Subnet EmissionNotes
Subnet Owner18%Fixed allocation for subnet creation and management
Miners41%For performing computational tasks and contributing resources
Validators41%For validating miner outputs and maintaining network integrity
  • Validator Delegation: Of the validator share (41%), 82% is distributed to delegators (those who stake TAO with validators), and 18% remains with the validators themselves.

Usage and Incentive Mechanism

  • Work Token Model: TAO must be staked by validators to access network intelligence and develop applications. The more TAO staked, the more work a validator can perform and the more rewards they can earn.
  • Incentive Feedback Loop: Subnet owners define incentive mechanisms for miners, who compete to maximize rewards. Validators rank miners, and the Yuma Consensus mechanism determines reward distribution based on performance and stake.
  • Token Utility:
    • Payment for subnet creation (minimum 100 TAO, variable by demand)
    • Transaction fees (recycled)
    • Staking for validator and miner registration
    • Delegation to validators for reward sharing
    • Access to AI services and APIs built on Bittensor
  • Dynamic Emission Proposal: A proposed (but not yet implemented) “Dynamic TAO” mechanism would allow TAO holders to vote on emission allocations to subnets based on their perceived value to the ecosystem.

Locking and Unlocking Mechanism

  • No explicit vesting or lockup for team or investors: All tokens are unlocked through mining/validation.
  • Staking: Validators and delegators must lock TAO to participate in consensus and earn rewards. The amount staked determines influence and reward share.
  • Unlocking Schedule: All TAO is unlocked linearly through daily block rewards, with halvening events reducing the daily issuance over time. The final TAO will be unlocked by 2075, after which no new tokens will be issued.

Token Unlocking Table (Sample)

Unlock DateCumulative Unlocked TAORemaining TAO% UnlockedUnlock Type
2075-08-0320,998,8040100%Linear
2075-08-0220,998,8031100%Linear
...............

Additional Notes

  • Governance: Proposals are made by a Triumvirate of Opentensor Foundation employees, with a bicameral system intended to transition to greater community control over time.
  • No Claims or Rights: TAO does not confer legal rights, profit sharing, or claims on the foundation.
  • Network Security: Subtensor, the underlying blockchain, uses Proof-of-Authority nodes managed by the foundation, but anyone can run public nodes for synchronization.

Summary Table: Bittensor Token Economics

MechanismDetails
Issuance1 TAO/block (12s), halving at 50% supply milestones, capped at 21M TAO
Allocation100% to miners/validators via block rewards; 18% subnet owner, 41% miners, 41% validators
UsageStaking, transaction fees, subnet creation, access to AI services, delegation
IncentivesPerformance-based rewards, validator/delegator sharing, dynamic emission proposal
LockingStaking required for validators/delegators; no team/investor lockups
UnlockingLinear via block rewards, halvening reduces rate, all unlocked by ~2075

Implications and Nuances

  • Decentralized AI Incentives: The model is designed to continuously reward the best-performing AI models and digital commodities, driving innovation and competition.
  • No Pre-mine/Team Allocation: Ensures a fair launch and ongoing decentralization, but also means network security and development rely on community and foundation incentives.
  • Dynamic Emissions: The proposed dynamic allocation could further optimize resource distribution as the network matures.
  • Scalability and Governance: Manual emission allocation by top validators may become a bottleneck as the number of subnets grows, highlighting the need for more automated or community-driven governance.

Bittensor’s token economics are a sophisticated blend of Bitcoin-inspired issuance, delegated proof-of-stake, and dynamic, performance-based incentives, all tailored to foster a decentralized, scalable, and competitive AI ecosystem.

Bittensor (TAO) Tokenomics: Key Metrics Explained and Use Cases

Understanding the tokenomics of Bittensor (TAO) is essential for analyzing its long-term value, sustainability, and potential.

Key Metrics and How They Are Calculated:

Total Supply:

The maximum number of TAO tokens that have been or will ever be created.

Circulating Supply:

The number of tokens currently available on the market and in public hands.

Max Supply:

The hard cap on how many TAO tokens can exist in total.

FDV (Fully Diluted Valuation):

Calculated as current price × max supply, giving a projection of total market cap if all tokens are in circulation.

Inflation Rate:

Reflects how fast new tokens are introduced, affecting scarcity and long-term price movement.

Why Do These Metrics Matter for Traders?

High circulating supply = greater liquidity.

Limited max supply + low inflation = potential for long-term price appreciation.

Transparent token distribution = better trust in the project and lower risk of centralized control.

High FDV with low current market cap = possible overvaluation signals.

Now that you understand TAO's tokenomics, explore TAO token's live price!

How to Buy TAO

Interested in adding Bittensor (TAO) to your portfolio? MEXC supports various methods to buy TAO, including credit cards, bank transfers, and peer-to-peer trading. Whether you're a beginner or pro, MEXC makes crypto buying easy and secure.

Bittensor (TAO) Price History

Analyzing the price history of TAO helps users understand past market movements, key support/resistance levels, and volatility patterns. Whether you are tracking all-time highs or identifying trends, historical data is a crucial part of price prediction and technical analysis.

TAO Price Prediction

Want to know where TAO might be heading? Our TAO price prediction page combines market sentiment, historical trends, and technical indicators to provide a forward-looking view.

Why Should You Choose MEXC?

MEXC is one of the world's top crypto exchanges, trusted by millions of users globally. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, MEXC is your easiest way to crypto.

Over 4,000 trading pairs across Spot and Futures markets
Fastest token listings among CEXs
#1 liquidity across the industry
Lowest fees, backed by 24/7 customer service
100%+ token reserve transparency for user funds
Ultra-low entry barriers: buy crypto with just 1 USDT
mc_how_why_title
Buy crypto with just 1 USDT: Your easiest way to crypto!

Disclaimer

Tokenomics data on this page is from third-party sources. MEXC does not guarantee its accuracy. Please conduct thorough research before investing.

Please read and understand the User Agreement and Privacy Policy