Subtensor, the chain underneath

Underneath all the subnets is Bittensor's blockchain, called Subtensor. It keeps the record of who takes part in each subnet, the scores validators give to miners, who owns which tokens, and what each participant has earned.

Subtensor is its own Layer 1 chain, built with a framework called Substrate, and it runs independently of Ethereum. TAO is its native token, and a new block arrives every 12 seconds.

The subnets' work happens off the chain. Subtensor coordinates it and pays for it, creating new tokens with each block and sharing them out according to the scores.

The chain also has an Ethereum-compatible side for smart contracts. Accounts there use addresses that start with 0x, while standard Bittensor accounts start with 5.