Node registration

Neurons are server nodes in each subnet. To become a validator or miner on a subnet you must register a neuron.

Neuron Registration

To obtain a UID (unique slot number for a neuron) on a particular subnet you must register your hotkey. The cost of the slot is variable and can be found using the command line btcli subnets list. The recycle cost is the cost to register a neuron).

The recycle cost decays smoothly each block, ensuring the price halves from the last registration cost every half life blocks. At each registration the recycle cost is increased by a multiplier Burn Increase Multiplier (clamped between limits). It is possible to register multiple neurons per block

This allows the registration costs to be defined by natural market forces of demand. A historical chart is available on the subnet's page on Taostats to see the current costs for each subnet:

All new miners & validators are placed into immunity for a preset amount of time. The immunity period can be adjusted per subnet. Immune neurons are skipped when the chain picks a neuron to de-register, unless too few non-immune neurons are left.

Recycling of Fees

Any tao spent on registration is swapped into alpha through the subnet pool. The tao stays in the pool, and the alpha is recycled: it is subtracted from the subnet's alpha issuance. The registration cost is NOT returned to the miner upon de-registration and is considered part of the operational costs to be factored into the profitability calculations when mining.

Neuron De-registration

When a new miner/validator registers on a full subnet, the neuron with the lowest emission is de-registered. Ties go to the oldest registration, then the lowest UID.

If your subnet is deregistered for a new subnet, all neurons are de-registered.