Wormhole Launches Canonical TAO on Solana Network

Table of Contents Solana confirmed that TAO, the native token of Bittensor, now trades natively on its blockchain. The Solana Foundation marked the activation by ringing an opening bell at its Accelerate USA conference. Wormhole Labs enabled the launch through its Sunrise platform, according to Edward Zuo. Wormhole activated a canonical bridged version of TAO for trading on Solana. The Sunrise platform powered the deployment and provided direct liquidity from launch. Edward Zuo told The Block that TAO can now “trade natively” across the network. As a result, users can access TAO through Jupiter and Meteora. They can also store and swap the token using Phantom and Solflare wallets. The system allows trading pairs against SOL, USDC, and JUP. Wormhole stated that its Native Token Transfers system avoids traditional wrapped token models. Instead, it locks or burns tokens on the source chain and mints equivalents on Solana. The tokens retain original metadata and distinguishing features. Wormhole said Sunrise acts as a “day-one asset gateway” for established tokens. The company stated that this model delivers real liquidity at launch. The announcement at Accelerate conferred what Sunrise calls “canonical status” for TAO on Solana. TAO now integrates directly into Solana’s decentralized finance ecosystem. The deployment allows traders to interact with TAO without relying on third-party wrappers. The project aims to anchor the token within Solana-native liquidity pools. The conference statement read, “TAO on Solana makes the category native to Solana DeFi rather than adjacent to it.” Organizers linked the move to Solana’s Internet Capital Markets thesis. That thesis promotes global asset access upon onchain availability. Bittensor operates as a protocol for decentralized AI networks. It coordinates miners, validators, and subnet networks through blockchain incentives. The network emits a fixed supply of TAO tokens based on participation. Digital Currency Group backs Bittensor through its subsidiary Yuma. Grayscale, DCG’s asset manager, filed to convert its TAO trust into an ETF. The filing remains under review. Sunrise has also launched Solana-native versions of MEGA, HYPE, AVAX, and MON. Solana previously introduced XRP to its ecosystem through Hex Trust. These launches expanded token access across Solana-based markets. However, some subnets and observers have criticized Bittensor. They described aspects of the network as “decentralized theater.” Bittensor continues to operate its subnet model and token emissions structure. Wormhole confirmed that the bridged TAO retains metadata alignment with the original asset. The company stated that the model prevents confusion from unofficial SPL tokens. The activation took effect on Tuesday during the Accelerate USA conference. Discover top-performing stocks in AI, Crypto, and Technology with expert analysis.