Upbit Lists Bittensor (TAO) with KRW, BTC, and USDT Trading Pairs

• South Korea’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange Upbit has listed Bittensor’s native token TAO with trading pairs of KRW, BTC, and USDT.
• The listing of TAO led to a significant price jump and trading mechanisms to ensure stability in the early trading phase.

South Korea’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange Upbit has finally listed the native token of Bittensor (TAO) on its spot market on February 16, 2026. The exchange has included multiple trading pairs for the Korean won (KRW), Bitcoin (BTC), and Tether (USDT). The listing of TAO on Upbit will enable South Korean traders to trade the native token of the decentralized AI network directly. Bittensor is a peer-to-peer network that pays for AI contributions based on utility.

The buy orders were limited for the initial minutes after the start. Upbit prevented sell orders if they were more than 10% below the initial closing prices. Only limit orders were permitted in the first two hours. The system limited the transfer of assets to the Bittensor Network initially. The users were encouraged to refrain from using alternative networks such as EVM.

The early trading activities after the listing caused significant price movements for TAO. Currently, Tao is priced at $189.23. The token of Bittensor saw a strong rise in price after the announcement by Upbit as the local demand entered the market. The strong rise in price persisted in the following trading sessions as the liquidity expanded across the exchanges.

Retail adoption in South Korea has historically been strong, even with the recent reduction in trading volumes. The Korean won pairs are often indicative of domestic interest and inflows, especially when trading on major exchanges. Market context indicates volatility, with the overall crypto markets fluctuating. The price boost came about despite the larger markets being under pressure downwards recently. The market still limits Bittensor’s circulating supply relative to its maximum potential.

Decentralized AI Narrative and Market Outlook

The listing of Bittensor’s token is in line with the overall narrative of integrating artificial intelligence networks with blockchain rewards. The TAO tokens have various uses, such as rewards, staking, and transactions in the decentralized network. 

The overall community sentiment for TAO was positive as the demand for crypto-AI infrastructure continues to increase. Market participants are exploring how decentralized machine intelligence can grow without relying on centralization. The addition of new trading pairs by Upbit is part of the overall strategy of the exchange.

Highlighted Crypto News:

IMF Warns Dollar-Linked Stablecoins Could Undermine Central Bank Control