Bittensor’s TAO token rose by double digits on Oct. 16, climbing past $285 amid a broader rebound across the crypto market and a fresh protocol release from the project’s core team.
The move came as Bitcoin reclaimed $82,000 and Ether recovered to around $2,450. At the same time, Bittensor announced Null Consensus, an update that increases subnet capacity and changes how miners can join and earn rewards within the network.
Protocol update expands subnet participation
According to Bittensor, Null Consensus raises subnet capacity from 256 participants to 2,500, a substantial increase in the number of entities that can take part. The release also adds an alternative miner reward mechanism that subnet owners can use instead of Yuma Consensus.
The update further introduces optional proof-of-work registration. Under that system, miners can enter subnets without spending TAO upfront. Rather than paying a fee, they can solve a computational challenge using hardware resources, a change intended to lower the barrier to entry for participants that want to join with compute alone.
That design could widen access to more miners, including autonomous AI agents, by allowing participation without an initial token outlay. In practical terms, the announcement gives the market a Bittensor-specific catalyst on top of the day’s wider crypto recovery.
Price strength follows broader market rebound
TAO’s jump on Oct. 16 was described alongside a wider recovery in digital assets. The source article linked the token’s strong daily gain both to improving market conditions and to the Null Consensus rollout.
By moving above $285, TAO extended a recent stretch of strength that has drawn renewed trader attention. The token’s advance also revived discussion around whether momentum can continue in the near term, though the article stopped short of presenting that as a confirmed trend.
Bullish calls grow, but forecasts vary widely
The rally prompted a new round of optimistic commentary from market watchers on X. Michael van de Poppe said he has become more constructive on TAO’s chart, citing what he sees as a clear bullish structure.
Other commentators offered specific price targets or scenarios. Lucky suggested TAO could rise toward $350 to $400 by year-end, while Sjuul of AltCryptoGems argued that the token has been consolidating in a large range since the summer of 2024 and could break into a stronger expansion if key macro support levels remain intact.
Some projections went much further. Crypto Candy described the current period as the last chance to buy below $300 and said a 10x move could happen in the midterm. Rob Greer, posting from the Crazy Bet account, projected that TAO’s market capitalization could exceed $1 trillion by 2030.
Big targets remain speculative from current levels
The source article treated the most aggressive forecasts with caution. TAO’s market capitalization was cited as still below $3.3 billion, making a path to a $1 trillion valuation an enormous leap from current levels.
That gap does not rule out future upside, but it underlines how speculative the boldest predictions remain at this stage. For now, the confirmed developments are TAO’s sharp daily gain, the wider crypto market rebound, and Bittensor’s launch of Null Consensus as the network’s next major protocol update.
Source: cryptopotato.com