Frequently asked questions
What is Subnet Bridge?
Subnet Bridge wraps Bittensor assets as tokens on Ethereum, one token per asset: TAO becomes WTAO and subnet alpha such as LIUM becomes WLIUM. The bridge page lists the supported assets.
What do I get when I wrap?
You receive the wrapped token for the asset deposited, less the 0.5% wrap fee. Each wrapped token is a claim on the same asset held in the bridge’s reserves.
What does it cost?
The bridge charges 0.5% to wrap and 0 to unwrap. The bridge keeps all staking yield; wrapped-token holders earn none. You pay the network fee for your deposit and Ethereum transactions. The bridge pays the Bittensor payout network fee. The 0.5% fee is minted as wrapped tokens held by the bridge contract, and it counts in the token supply shown on the reserves page.
What can I do with wrapped tokens?
Wrapped tokens can be used with Ethereum applications that support its contract. Liquidity, listings and third-party integrations are not guaranteed. Verify the contract address before trading.
What do I receive when I unwrap?
Unwrapping WTAO returns TAO to your linked Bittensor wallet. Unwrapping a subnet token returns that subnet’s alpha, not TAO: it arrives as stake in your linked wallet, delegated to the validator the bridge uses on that subnet, and you can move or unstake it like any stake.
Which wallets do I need?
Use an Ethereum browser wallet, such as MetaMask or Rabby, and a Bittensor extension supporting raw message signing, such as Talisman, SubWallet or Polkadot.js. You prove control of both by signing messages. Signing in does not move funds. Wraps are sent from a linked self-custody Bittensor wallet in the app, which you approve in the extension. Holding TAO or stake on an exchange? Withdraw it to your own wallet first; the app cannot wrap from an exchange. On mobile, connect an Ethereum wallet with WalletConnect; linking a Bittensor wallet still needs a Bittensor extension, so wrapping and unwrapping work best on desktop.
Can I unwrap straight to an exchange?
The app offers only linked Bittensor wallets as payout destinations. Receive it in your own wallet before moving it elsewhere.
How long does it take?
Allow about 20–25 min, mostly Ethereum finality. Above the day’s fast lane (half the daily limit), a wrap completes after a 24-hour safety delay; the app tells you before you send. Backing checks, finality delays, daily caps or an operational pause can extend this estimate. Activity shows the available progress and transaction references.
Are there limits?
Yes. Each token has its own daily app cap each way, a maximum per deposit, a total cap on the amount bridged, and a minimum per wrap and per unwrap. The app shows the current values, how much is left today and how much room is left under the total cap. A deposit above the maximum is not minted and needs a manual refund, so stay within it. The operator can change limits and can pause the bridge.
How do I know the wrapped tokens are backed?
The proof of reserves page shows, per token, the asset held, the wrapped supply and other liabilities, including pending mints, deposits, refunds and redemptions. It includes check timestamps, block numbers and contract and custody links. A reserve report is a point-in-time observation, not a guarantee.
Who holds the reserves?
This is a custodial bridge run by one operator. One custody key per asset holds the reserves, and the attester keys run on one host under the same operator: the 2-of-3 signature threshold does not provide independent custody. The operator can pause the bridge, change limits and upgrade the contracts through a timelock, whose delay is set to zero during early access. See Terms and risks.
Is it audited?
The contracts and relay have been reviewed internally. No independent external audit has been completed yet. Smart-contract and operational failures may result in loss.
What if something gets stuck?
Check Activity for the status and transaction reference. A pending transfer may be completing, delayed or held for review. Preserve the transfer ID and transaction hashes when requesting support at [email protected]. Do not repeat a deposit or burn solely because it is delayed.
Is this affiliated with the Opentensor Foundation?
No. Subnet Bridge is not affiliated with the Opentensor Foundation or Bittensor’s operators.
How do I identify the wrapped tokens?
A ticker is not an identifier. Each wrapped token is issued by Subnet Bridge against its own reserves. Verify the contract using the Etherscan links on this site before trading.
Which assets are supported?
The ones on the bridge page; the Contracts page lists each token with its addresses.
How are new subnets added?
Vote for the next subnet. Candidates marked “next” are not yet available. Votes guide launches; they move no funds and guarantee no launch.