Ala Shaabana: Bittensor’s programmable mining model incentivizes AI development, Ridge’s subnet 62 offers competitive pricing, and global talent can earn through subnet tokens | TWIST

Bittensor's innovative mining model distributes $100 million annually, revolutionizing incentives for decentralized AI development.

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Add us on Google by Editorial Team Mar. 25, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Bittensor is pioneering a programmable mining model that incentivizes AI development.
• The platform distributes $100 million annually as subsidies, similar to Bitcoin’s mining rewards.
• Ridge’s subnet 62 product is a competitive vibe coding platform, outperforming many in the market.
• Ridge’s product is significantly more affordable than its competitors, offering a strong market advantage.
• Bittensor enables global talent competition, allowing significant earnings through subnet tokens.
• Crypto provides unique opportunities to earn and own parts of the AI revolution.
• Acquiring subnet tokens requires staking TAO tokens and using a compatible wallet.
• The DAO facilitates access to subnets, requiring exchanges to follow a specific listing process.
• Subnet tokens must undergo the same legal scrutiny as the DAO before being listed on exchanges.
• Investing in subnets requires a thorough evaluation akin to assessing startups.
• The Crucible wallet is recommended for engaging with the Bittensor ecosystem.
• The regulatory landscape significantly affects the trading of subnet tokens.
• Subnets are evaluated based on market competitiveness and team capabilities.
• Marketing is as crucial as product quality in the success of blockchain projects.

Guest intro

Ala Shaabana serves as Chief Operating Officer at Bittensor and Co-founder of the Opentensor Foundation, overseeing the open-source protocol that powers a blockchain-based machine learning network. He previously worked as a Senior Software Engineer at Instacart, where he developed skills in large-scale AI systems before co-founding Bittensor in 2019. His contributions include pioneering the Proof of Intelligence consensus mechanism to incentivize decentralized AI development via the $TAO token.

Bittensor’s innovative mining model

• Bittensor is creating a new programmable mining model that incentivizes AI product development.

• It’s basically taking bitcoin’s mining side and making that programmable on a new chain

  — Ala Shaabana

• The model encourages 128 subnets, similar to companies, to build new AI products.
• Bittensor subsidizes AI growth through a financial model akin to Bitcoin’s mining rewards.

• There’s a $100,000,000 a year that are handed out basically as a subsidy

  — Ala Shaabana

• Understanding Bittensor’s mechanics is crucial for grasping its innovation in the crypto space.
• The platform merges AI and blockchain technology, highlighting a significant advancement.
• Bittensor’s economic model has implications for AI development and crypto integration.

Ridge’s subnet 62: A competitive edge

• Ridge’s subnet 62 product is a vibe coding platform scoring high on benchmark tests.

• It’s scoring 73 to 88% on the swe benchmark test

  — Ala Shaabana

• The product competes with Claude and Cursor, offering a competitive alternative.
• Ridge’s product is priced at $29 a month, significantly cheaper than competitors.

• It’s five to seven times cheaper than Claude code and Codex at a comparable benchmark

  — Ala Shaabana

• Understanding the benchmark tests is essential for assessing the product’s market position.
• Ridge’s pricing strategy provides a critical market advantage over its competitors.
• The product’s performance and affordability make it a strong contender in the vibe coding space.

Global talent competition and earning potential

• Bittensor allows global competition for talent, enabling significant earnings through subnet tokens.

• Anyone anywhere in the world can compete

  — Ala Shaabana

• Miners improving the subnet 62 product earn approximately $50,000 in subnet tokens per day.
• Crypto enables individuals to earn and own parts of the AI revolution in unique ways.

• That’s one thing that’s great about crypto

  — Ala Shaabana

• Understanding Bittensor’s subnet token system is crucial for recognizing its value proposition.
• The platform democratizes access to opportunities in the AI sector.
• Bittensor’s global accessibility highlights its unique earning potential for users.

Acquiring and trading subnet tokens

• To acquire subnet tokens, one must stake TAO tokens and use a compatible wallet.

• You have to stake the TAO to get the subnet tokens

  — Ala Shaabana

• The Crucible wallet is recommended for engaging with the Bittensor ecosystem.
• The DAO acts as a medium for accessing subnets, requiring exchanges to follow a specific process.

• TAO itself DAO is acting as a medium towards access to all of these subnets

  — Ala Shaabana

• Subnet tokens must undergo the same legal scrutiny as the DAO before being listed.

• Each submit has to go through effectively the same scrutiny

  — Ala Shaabana

• Understanding the DAO’s role is essential for navigating the subnet token trading process.

Evaluating subnet investments

• Investing in subnets requires a thorough evaluation similar to assessing startups.

• We look at these subnets like you would look at startups

  — Ala Shaabana

• Evaluations consider the total addressable market and product competitiveness.
• The team’s capabilities and marketing effectiveness are crucial assessment factors.

• It’s not enough to make the best product; you have to market it the best also

  — Ala Shaabana

• Understanding the dynamics of subnet investments is vital for blockchain investors.
• The strategic framework for evaluating blockchain projects is crucial for investment decisions.
• Marketing plays a significant role in the success of blockchain projects, alongside product quality.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.