Ala Shaabana argues that decentralized networks are becoming the mainstay of global computing power.
By Olivier Acuna|Edited by Aoyon Ashraf Jun 2, 2026, 11:25 p.m. 2 min readMake preferred on Ala Shaabana, co-founder of Bittensor, addresses the audience at the Proof of Talk summit in Paris regarding Bitcoin's extensive computing capabilities. (Olivier Acuna/CoinDesk)Key Points:
- During a summit in Paris, Ala Shaabana, co-founder of Bittensor, claimed that decentralized systems are surpassing traditional corporate data centers in computing capacity.
- He noted that the hash rate of Bitcoin's network is over 600,000 times greater than that of the top 100 supercomputers, highlighting the vast potential of distributed computing.
- Shaabana argued that decentralized networks can more effectively utilize global hardware and intelligence for artificial intelligence tasks through incentivized subnets compared to centralized tech giants.
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BTCBTC$66,676.06◢6.47%The landscape of global computing infrastructure is undergoing a significant transformation. The true power of computation is shifting away from isolated corporate facilities to open, global networks.
At the Proof of Talk summit in Paris, Ala Shaabana, who is also a partner at Crucible Labs, presented compelling evidence of the capabilities of decentralized networks. He compared Bitcoin's computing power to that of traditional enterprise systems.
"Bitcoin indeed dwarfs the top 100 supercomputers," Shaabana stated. "Does anyone know the hash rate in comparison? It's more than 600,000 times the capacity of these supercomputers. And that's just Bitcoin."
To grasp Shaabana's assertion, it's important to understand the nature of Bittensor.
Bittensor operates as a Layer 1 protocol, adhering to the same foundational principles as Bitcoin: a maximum of 21 million tokens, hardcoded halvings at specific blocks, no pre-mining, and no venture capital involvement. It functions as a decentralized network that replaces Bitcoin's hash-puzzle mining with the operation and validation of artificial intelligence.
The incentive structure that allowed Bitcoin to become a computing powerhouse 600,000 times more potent than the leading supercomputers is repurposed by Bittensor for AI tasks, organized into 128 specialized subnets. Each subnet sets its own objectives, and miners compete for TAO token rewards by achieving those goals, ensuring that the network's intelligence is shaped by what it incentivizes. This design, taken directly from Bitcoin's framework, is central to Shaabana's arguments.
Long-term Bull Case Shift
Shaabana's fundamental argument is straightforward: if coordination and algorithms can generate the world's most powerful financial computing engine, the same model can be adapted for AI. By segmenting a network into 128 distinct problem-solving communities or subnets, developers can tap into global hardware and intelligence without relying on a centralized tech monopoly.
The effectiveness of a distributed system hinges entirely on its incentive design. "Show me the subnet, and I'll tell you what the miners are optimizing for," Shaabana remarked, referencing a well-known market saying. If miners are incentivized for raw computational speed, they will focus on maximizing that speed. If the reward is for data storage, they will concentrate on storage optimization.
By establishing these programmatic objectives, open networks naturally draw talent and computational resources far more efficiently than conventional corporations.
“The long-term bull case is no longer mainly about technology,” Shaabana concluded. “It is influenced by debt, liquidity, and waning trust in traditional sovereign systems. Subnets effectively create markets. Intelligence is no longer confined by organizational constraints; signals will determine the truth, and performance will be rewarded accordingly.”
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