How to stake TAO in a subnet

Start with what the subnet does—not just the displayed APY.

Confirm the subnet name and number in PotaTao, then consider its Alpha liquidity, available validators, estimated rewards and risks. Each subnet has its own Alpha token and market conditions.

A familiar name or high estimated APY should not be the only reason you choose a subnet.

New to Bittensor? Read “What are Bittensor subnets?”

Your Alpha position remains yours, but it is linked to a validator for rewards.

Compare the information available for each validator, including estimated APY, recent performance and validator take—the share of rewards the validator keeps.

These values can change. Treat them as current estimates, not guaranteed future rewards.

Technical details+

Your coldkey owns the position. The validator hotkey identifies the validator linked to it.

Before continuing, check:

• The amount of TAO
• The subnet and estimated Alpha amount
• The selected validator
• The estimated APY
• Any fees or limits shown

The estimated Alpha amount reflects current pool conditions and includes the price impact of your transaction. It can change before the transaction is completed.

Rewards may increase your Alpha balance, while its value in TAO may rise or fall.

Select Review and make sure the summary matches what you intend to do.

Then read the request shown by your wallet and approve it only when the subnet, validator and amounts are correct.

PotaTao never asks for your recovery phrase or takes custody of your TAO, Alpha or wallet keys.

Wait for the confirmed result before leaving the page. A pending request is not yet complete.

After you stake, the following can change:

• Alpha price
• Validator performance and take
• Estimated APY
• Subnet emissions
• Pool conditions
• Protocol rules

Estimated APY reflects current conditions. It is not a guaranteed reward.

To change validators within the same subnet, use Move. To choose a different subnet, use Swap, because that changes the Alpha token you hold.