Bittensor EVM

What is Bittensor EVM?

Quick answer

Bittensor EVM uses chain ID 964. It is Bittensor's EVM-compatible execution environment: standard EVM JSON-RPC, standard smart-contract tooling and standard 0x wallets, with TAO as the currency for payments and gas.

Bittensor is a decentralised network whose native token is TAO. Alongside its Substrate-based core, Bittensor runs an EVM runtime, which means Ethereum-style smart contracts and wallets work on it without modification. Elevate's collections are ERC-721A contracts deployed on that EVM layer.

Who this is for

Anyone who has heard of Bittensor but not used its EVM side, and developers evaluating it for NFTs.

In this section

Bittensor and Bittensor EVM

Bittensor's base chain (often called Subtensor) uses Substrate accounts with SS58 addresses. The EVM runtime lives on the same network and exposes the familiar Ethereum interface: JSON-RPC endpoints, 20-byte 0x addresses, Solidity contracts and gas paid in the native token. When Elevate says a collection is on Bittensor EVM, it means the NFT contract is deployed to this runtime and TAO is what you pay with.

FieldValue
Network nameBittensor EVM
RPC URLhttps://lite.chain.opentensor.ai
Chain ID964
Currency symbolTAO
Block explorerhttps://evm.taostats.io

Enter these exactly as shown. Verified against the official Bittensor documentation on 2026-09-12.

TAO on the EVM side

TAO is the native currency on both sides of the network, but a balance on the Substrate side is not spendable by an EVM contract until it is moved across. On the EVM side TAO behaves like ETH on Ethereum: it pays gas and it is the unit mint prices are quoted in, with 18 decimals in transaction data.

Two address formats

FormatLooks likeUsed by
SS58 (Substrate)5F3sa2TJ…Bittensor wallets such as Talisman, staking, exchange withdrawals
H160 (EVM)0x64FE28…MetaMask, Rabby, NFT contracts, Elevate

They are different encodings of different key types, not two views of one account. Funds sent to an SS58 address do not appear at your 0x address by themselves, which is why the bridge exists. Elevate only ever needs your 0x address.

How Elevate uses Bittensor EVM

  • Every collection is its own ERC-721A contract on chain ID 964, named after the collection.
  • Mint prices are in TAO; the mint transaction sends TAO from your wallet to the contract.
  • Supply, minted count, phase status and wallet limits shown on the site are read from the contract over JSON-RPC.
  • Every transaction and contract can be inspected on Taostats EVM Explorer.

Independent platform

Elevate is an independent launchpad that builds on Bittensor EVM. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Bittensor Foundation or Opentensor.

Common mistakes

  • Calling it “Ethereum on Bittensor”. It is Bittensor's own EVM runtime; nothing is bridged from Ethereum.
  • Expecting exchange withdrawals to land on the 0x address. Most land on the SS58 side and must be bridged.
  • Using a testnet RPC. Elevate runs on mainnet, chain ID 964.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Bittensor EVM chain ID?
Mainnet Bittensor EVM uses chain ID 964.
Which wallet do I need for Bittensor EVM?
Any EVM wallet — MetaMask, Rabby, Coinbase Wallet or a WalletConnect wallet. Add the network with the parameters above.
Is TAO an ERC-20 on Bittensor EVM?
No. TAO is the native currency of the EVM runtime, the way ETH is native on Ethereum. It pays gas directly.
Where can I see Bittensor EVM transactions?
On the Taostats EVM Explorer at https://evm.taostats.io.

Sources

Written and maintained by the Elevate team. Last updated . Corrections: reach the team on the official Discord.

Related

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