Why is Bittensor (TAO) suddenly gaining momentum again, and could this rally push the AI-focused crypto toward new highs in 2026?
The TAO price surged more than 14% in the past 24 hours, climbing near $235 and reaching its highest level in over six weeks. The latest rally comes as the broader cryptocurrency market remains resilient despite geopolitical concerns surrounding the US–Iran conflict. At the same time, renewed enthusiasm for artificial intelligence crypto projects has brought the altcoin back into the spotlight.
Two major developments inside the Bittensor ecosystem — the Covenant-72B decentralized AI model and the Astrid Arena onboarding platform — have strengthened investor confidence. These upgrades show that Bittensor is not just another AI narrative token; it is actively building decentralized infrastructure capable of training large-scale language models.
The Covenant-72B model, trained across Bittensor’s decentralized network, demonstrated that large language models can run on distributed infrastructure. The model reportedly used 72 billion parameters and around 1.1 trillion tokens, highlighting the network’s growing computational capabilities.
At the same time, the launch of Astrid Arena aims to accelerate ecosystem growth. The platform allows developers and autonomous AI agents to automatically create wallets, join Bittensor subnets, and compete based on model performance.
This development matters for one key reason: Bittensor’s reward system depends on subnet participation. The more AI agents join the network, the stronger the competition and utility of the ecosystem becomes.
As a result, market sentiment around AI crypto projects has improved, with TAO becoming one of the key beneficiaries of this trend.
Another bullish indicator supporting the price rally is the rapid increase in derivatives activity.
Bittensor futures Open Interest (OI) jumped to $221 million, up from $190 million the previous day. Earlier this week, OI averaged around $160 million, meaning trader participation has increased significantly.
Higher Open Interest often signals growing speculation and capital inflows, which can strengthen price momentum when combined with bullish market sentiment.
For TAO, this rising demand suggests that retail traders and short-term investors are actively positioning for further upside.
From a technical perspective, the daily chart shows a major breakout.
For months, the token traded under a descending trendline that started after its November peak near $539. Recently, the price broke above this resistance line, which often signals a potential trend reversal.
Momentum indicators also support the bullish outlook:
RSI above 70, indicating strong buying pressure
Multiple bullish daily candles confirming breakout strength
Increasing trading volume and derivatives activity
However, an RSI above 70 also suggests the market could experience short-term consolidation before the next move.
If the token maintains its breakout above the $220–$230 zone, the bullish structure could remain intact.
Short-Term TAO Price Prediction
Immediate resistance: $260
Next bullish target: $300–$320
Medium-term recovery zone: $360+
Long-term recovery zone: $500+
The $300–$320 region is especially important because it coincides with the 200-day EMA, a level that often determines long-term market direction.
If bulls successfully reclaim this area, it could enter a stronger recovery phase, potentially targeting $360 or higher in the coming months.
Despite the bullish momentum, crypto markets remain volatile.
If the breakout fails and the price drops below $210, the market could move back into its previous range.
Key downside levels include:
$190 support zone
$180 strong demand level
A pullback toward these levels would not necessarily invalidate the broader bullish outlook but could indicate a healthy correction before another upward move.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not represent financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments carry high risk. Always conduct your own research before investing.
Lokesh Gupta is a seasoned financial expert with 23 years of experience in Forex, Comex, NSE, MCX, NCDEX, and cryptocurrency markets. Investors have trusted his technical analysis skills so they may negotiate market swings and make wise investment selections. Lokesh merges his deep understanding of the market with his enthusiasm for teaching in his role as Content & Research Lead, producing informative pieces that give investors a leg up. In both conventional and cryptocurrency markets, he is a reliable adviser because of his strategic direction and ability to examine intricate market movements. Dedicated to study, market analysis, and investor education, Lokesh keeps abreast of the always-changing financial scene. His accurate and well-researched observations provide traders and investors with the tools they need to thrive in ever-changing market conditions.