Bittensor

About

Our Bittensor integration allows users to natively stake TAO by delegating it to a validator on the Bittensor network. This is direct native staking — there is no liquid token and no smart-contract custody. The TAO stays under the authority of the user's own coldkey, delegated to a validator hotkey, and staking rewards accrue and compound automatically every block.

Bittensor supports staking to the root subnet as well as to individual subnets (dTAO). When staking to the root subnet (subnetId: 0), positions are denominated 1:1 in TAO. When staking to a subnet, the deposited TAO is converted into that subnet's Alpha token at the current pool price, so the position's TAO value moves with the subnet's Alpha/TAO exchange rate.

Unlike liquid or pooled staking, users choose the exact validator (hotkey) and subnet they delegate to, and can hold positions across multiple validators and subnets simultaneously. The current minimum stake is returned in the yield's enter arguments via our /yields endpoint.

The interaction flow:

1. Stake TAO: Users select a validator and subnet, then deposit TAO, which is delegated to that validator's hotkey. For subnet stakes, the TAO is converted to the subnet's Alpha token at the current price.
2. Delegation: The stake is delegated immediately and the position shows as a staked balance. No warm-up period applies.
3. Rewards Accrue: Staking rewards are added to the position automatically every block and compound in place — there is no manual claim.
4. Unstake: Users initiate an unstake in a single transaction. There is no unbonding period, so the TAO is returned to the user's wallet immediately. For subnet positions, the Alpha is converted back to TAO at the current price.

Pending Actions

This integration has no pending actions. Because there is no unbonding period and rewards compound automatically, there is nothing for the user to claim or withdraw after the fact — unstaking is a single, self-contained transaction that returns TAO directly to the wallet. Positions and their value can be tracked via our /stake/balances endpoint.

Considerations

• Validator & subnet selection: Unlike liquid staking, users delegate to a specific validator hotkey on a specific subnet. Both the validator address and the subnetId are required when staking, and users can hold positions across multiple validators and subnets at once.
• No unbonding delay: Exiting is effectively instantaneous — a single unstake transaction returns TAO to the user's wallet with no cooldown period.
• Subnet (dTAO) pricing: Stakes to the root subnet (subnetId: 0) are denominated 1:1 in TAO. Stakes to any other subnet are held as the subnet's Alpha token, so the TAO value of the position fluctuates with the subnet's Alpha/TAO pool price.
• Self-custody: Funds remain under the authority of the user's own coldkey at all times; the delegated validator only earns and distributes rewards on the stake.
• Minimums: A minimum of 0.03 TAO is required to stake, and unstakes must be worth at least 0.02 TAO at the current price.