# Bitcoin to Bittensor (BTC to TAO): no-KYC swap on GhostSwap

> Send Bitcoin (BTC) and receive Bittensor (TAO) in your own wallet, with no account and no KYC. It is a cross-chain swap from Bitcoin to Bittensor, with no bridge and no wrapped tokens. Most BTC to TAO swaps are paid out within 20–60 minutes.

Swap page: https://ghostswap.io/exchange/btc-tao/
Updated: 2026-10-11

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| You send | Bitcoin (BTC) |
| You receive | Bittensor (TAO) |
| Your TAO address | Bittensor address that starts with 5 (SS58 format). Wallets: Talisman or Nova Wallet |
| Deposit network fee | Paid in BTC by your wallet |
| Deposit confirmation | 10–30 minutes (1–3 confirmations) on Bitcoin |
| TAO payout | Sent to your address as soon as the swap completes; Bittensor confirms it in a few minutes |
| Typical swap time | 20–60 minutes until your TAO is sent |
| Reference rate | 1 BTC ≈ 287.1986 TAO · 1 TAO ≈ 0.003482 BTC (market prices, 11 Oct 2026) |
| Limits | Minimum about 0.00036 BTC. The exact minimum and maximum BTC amounts are shown live in the exchange box |
| Account / KYC | None for standard swaps: no sign-up, no email, no ID |
| Tracking | Status page with your swap ID; BTC on mempool.space; TAO on Taostats |
| Reverse swap | [TAO to BTC](https://ghostswap.io/exchange/tao-btc/) |

## How much TAO you get (quoted 11 Oct 2026, 19:30 UTC, after all fees)

| You send | You receive |
|---|---|
| 0.001 BTC | 0.282414 TAO |
| 0.005 BTC | 1.4173 TAO |
| 0.02 BTC | 5.6729 TAO |
| 1 BTC | 283.6354 TAO |

## How to swap BTC to TAO

1. Open https://ghostswap.io/exchange/btc-tao/ and enter the amount of BTC to send.
2. Paste the TAO address that should receive the coins.
3. Enter the BTC address you are sending from, then confirm.
4. Send the BTC to the one-time deposit address shown.
5. Receive TAO in your wallet and follow the status page with your swap ID.

## Bitcoin to Bittensor: receiving native TAO on your coldkey

BTC to TAO connects two coins with the same 21 million supply cap. Bittensor is a network of subnets where miners and validators are rewarded for machine-learning work, and many holders stake TAO to validators or subnets. The payout is native TAO on the Bittensor chain, so it can be staked from your wallet without bridging.

Bitcoin needs 1 to 3 confirmations at about 10 minutes per block, so most swaps take 20 to 60 minutes. Bittensor adds a block about every 12 seconds, and the TAO payout is usually confirmed within a few minutes of being sent. Bittensor also has an EVM layer with 0x addresses, but this payout only goes to a native SS58 address.

### Tips

- Paste your coldkey address, which starts with 5, from Talisman or Nova Wallet. Do not use a hotkey; hotkeys identify miners and validators and are not meant to hold TAO.
- Send BTC from a wallet you control and enter that address as the refund address, so a failed swap comes back to you.
- Planning to stake? Since the dynamic TAO upgrade, staking to a subnet validator converts TAO into that subnet's alpha token, while root network stake stays in TAO.

### Can I buy TAO with Bitcoin without KYC?

Yes, buying TAO this way needs no account, email or ID. The TAO is paid to the coldkey address you paste, at the floating rate shown before you send. If the swap cannot complete, the BTC returns to the address you sent from.

### Can I receive TAO at a MetaMask 0x address?

No. GhostSwap only accepts native Bittensor addresses in SS58 format, starting with 5, for the payout. Use a Substrate wallet such as Talisman or Nova Wallet, which show that format.

## FAQ

### How long does it take to swap BTC to TAO on GhostSwap?

Most BTC to TAO swaps are paid out within 20–60 minutes: the BTC deposit needs 10–30 minutes (1–3 confirmations) to confirm on Bitcoin, then the TAO is sent to your wallet, and Bittensor confirms the payout in a few minutes.

### How much is 1 BTC in TAO?

At 11 Oct 2026, 19:30 UTC, 1 BTC swapped to about 283.6354 TAO on GhostSwap, after the service fee. The minimum for this pair is about 0.00036 BTC. The Bitcoin network fee for sending the BTC is paid separately, in BTC. The rate floats with the market until your BTC deposit confirms.

### Can I send BTC straight to my TAO address?

No. BTC moves on Bitcoin and TAO on Bittensor, so BTC can only be sent to a Bitcoin address. To swap, send the BTC to the one-time deposit address GhostSwap shows, and the TAO is paid to the Bittensor address you enter, with no bridge or wrapped token.

### What wallet and address do I need to receive TAO?

Use a Bittensor address from a wallet you control, such as Talisman or Nova Wallet. The address starts with 5 (SS58 format). GhostSwap never holds your funds: the TAO is sent straight to the address you enter.

### What happens if my BTC to TAO exchange fails?

If a swap cannot be completed, the BTC is refunded to the Bitcoin address you entered as the sender address.

## Related

- [Reverse: TAO to BTC](https://ghostswap.io/exchange/tao-btc/) ([Markdown](https://ghostswap.io/exchange/tao-btc.md))
- [All GhostSwap pairs](https://ghostswap.io/exchange/)
- [How to exchange](https://ghostswap.io/how-to-exchange/)
- [Site guide for AI assistants](https://ghostswap.io/llms.txt)