From Bitcoin to Bittensor: Decentralized AI & the Future of Intelligence (w/ Frank Schuil)

In this episode, we sit down with Frank, co-founder of Safello,
the leading crypto exchange in the Nordics, to explore their bold
decision to convert their entire Bitcoin and Ethereum treasury
into Tao, the native token of Bittensor.Frank walks us through
Safello’s 11-year journey since 2013, from surviving the Mt. Gox
collapse to becoming a publicly listed company on Nasdaq First
North. We dive deep into why they made the strategic shift from
traditional crypto assets to Bittensor, and what makes this
decentralized AI protocol so compelling.We unpack the mechanics
of Bittensor: how it creates a decentralized incentive mechanism
for AI development through subnets, each solving different
problems. Frank explains the complex dynamics between miners,
validators, and the newly introduced alpha tokens.We also explore
the value flow between Tao and subnet alpha tokens, the
challenges of the new tokenomics introduced in February, and why
Frank sees Tao as a credible balance sheet asset for companies
seeking exposure to decentralized AI. Building something exciting
& want to come on the show or collaborate with us? Email us
at business@teachmedefi.de or DM us on
X:https://www.twitter.com/teachmedefi Please share this if you
learned something! What should we discuss next? Comment! Fed up
with crypto influencers? Follow us for quality
education.▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ Find us on
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@teachmedefi Find us on 𝕏:
https://x.com/TEACHMEDEFI Find us on Instagram:
https://instagram.com/TEACHMEDEFI Find us on TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@teachmedefi_official Find us on Podcast
Streaming Sites:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teachmedefi▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀Timestamps:00:00:00
- Introduction and technical difficulties00:01:03 - Frank's
background and Safello's founding story00:02:24 - Safello's
journey from 2013, surviving Mt. Gox, regulatory
compliance00:03:42 - Strategic shift from Bitcoin/Ethereum to Tao
treasury00:08:52 - What is Bittensor and what problem does it
solve?00:09:22 - Decentralized AI as alternative to centralized
players like OpenAI00:11:55 - Comparing decentralized vs
centralized AI compute efficiency00:13:15 - Token usage metrics -
AI tokens vs crypto tokens00:14:40 - How Bittensor works:
subnets, miners, and validators explained00:18:48 - Specialized
mining across 128 different subnets00:19:46 - Game theory and
incentive mechanisms in Bittensor00:21:18 - How subnet rewards
are determined and alpha token dynamics00:26:05 - Domain
squatting problem and subnet limitations00:29:17 - Value accrual
between alpha tokens and Tao00:32:39 - Utility and purpose of
alpha tokens00:35:22 - Competition between subnets for Tao
emissions00:37:24 - Bittensor's market cap approaching
Polkadot00:40:00 - Tao as credible balance sheet asset for AI
exposure00:43:14 - No pre-mine structure and organic protocol
development00:45:42 - Current subnet landscape and investment
opportunities00:46:40 - MiCA compliance challenges and regulatory
landscape00:50:28 - Reflections on crypto's evolution and
regulatory gatekeeping00:52:13 - Closing
thoughts--------------Disclaimer:TEACHMEDEFI is a provider of
entertainment and opinions. We are neither a broker/dealer nor an
investment advisor. This is not a service for issuing or
receiving financial or investment advice. None of our content
constitutes a recommendation – or should be understood as such –
to conduct transactions in securities, cryptocurrencies, or
crypto-assets, or to engage in any of the investment strategies
presented in our discussions or provided content. We do not
provide personalized recommendations or views on whether a stock,
cryptocurrency, crypto-asset, or investment approach is suitable
for the financial needs of a particular individual.