10-12G 1 tao_form_10-12g.htm 10-12G 10-12G

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 10, 2025

File No. 000-

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10

 

GENERAL FORM FOR REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES

PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR 12(g) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Grayscale Bittensor Trust (TAO)

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

 

 

Delaware

99-6506784

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

(U.S. Taxpayer

Identification No.)

 

 

c/o Grayscale Investments, LLC

290 Harbor Drive, 4th Floor

Stamford, Connecticut

06902

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(Zip Code)

(212) 668-1427

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Copies to:

Joseph A. Hall

Daniel P. Gibbons

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: Grayscale Bittensor Trust (TAO) Shares

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Large accelerated filer

Accelerated filer

 

 

 

 

Non-accelerated filer

Smaller reporting company

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☒

 

 


 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Grayscale Bittensor Trust (TAO) (the “Trust”) is voluntarily filing this General Form for Registration of Securities on Form 10, or this “Registration Statement,” to register its common units of fractional undivided beneficial interest (“Shares”) pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

Once this Registration Statement becomes effective, the Trust will be subject to the requirements of Regulation 13A under the Exchange Act, which will require it to file annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K, and to comply with all other obligations of the Exchange Act applicable to issuers filing Registration Statements pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act.

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT

CROSS REFERENCE SHEET BETWEEN INFORMATION STATEMENT AND ITEMS OF FORM 10

We have filed our Information Statement as Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 10. For your convenience, we have provided below a cross-reference sheet identifying where the items required by Form 10 can be found in our Information Statement. None of the information contained in the Information Statement shall be incorporated by reference herein or deemed to be a part hereof unless such information is specifically incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

Item No.

 

Item Caption

 

Location in Information Statement

1.

Business.

The following sections of our Information Statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Forward-Looking Statements,” “Determination of NAV,” “Overview,” “Risk Factors,” “Overview of Bittensor,” “Activities of the Trust,” “Description of the Trust,” “The Sponsor,” “The Trustee,” “The Transfer Agent,” “The Authorized Participant,” “The Custodian,” “The Distributor and Marketer,” “Custody of the Trust’s TAO,” “Description of Creation of Shares,” “Valuation of TAO and Determination of NAV,” “Expenses; Sales of TAO,” “Statements, Filings and Reports,” “Description of Trust Documents” and “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

 

 

1A.

Risk Factors.

The following sections of our Information Statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors.”

 

 

 

2.

Financial Information.

The following sections of our Information Statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Determination of NAV,” “Overview,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Valuation of TAO and Determination of NAV,” and “Index to Financial Statements” and the statements referenced therein.

 

 

 

3.

Properties.

None.

 

 

 

4.

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management.

The following section of our Information Statement is hereby incorporated by reference: “Conflicts of Interest.”

 

 

 

5.

Directors and Executive Officers.

The following sections of our Information Statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “The Sponsor.”

 

 

 

6.

Executive Compensation.

 

The following sections of our Information Statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Expenses; Sales of TAO.”

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item No.

 

Item Caption

 

Location in Information Statement

7.

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.

The following sections of our Information Statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Transactions with Related Parties,” “The Sponsor” and “Conflicts of Interest.”

 

 

 

8.

Legal Proceedings.

None.

 

 

 

9.

Market Price of and Dividends on the Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters.

The following sections of our Information Statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

 

 

 

10.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities.

The following sections of our Information Statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Description of the Shares.”

 

 

 

11.

Description of Registrant’s Securities to be Registered.

The following sections of our Information Statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Description of the Shares,” “Description of Creation of Shares” and “Description of Trust Documents.”

 

 

 

12.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The following section of our Information Statement is hereby incorporated by reference: “Description of Trust Documents.”

 

 

 

13.

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

The following section of our Information Statement is hereby incorporated by reference: “Index to Financial Statements” and the statements referenced therein.

 

 

 

14.

Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.

Not Applicable.

 

 

 

15.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

The following sections of our Information Statement are hereby incorporated by reference: “Index to Financial Statements” and the statements referenced therein.

 


(a) List of Financial Statements and Schedules: The following financial statements are included in the Information Statement and filed as part of this Registration Statement on Form 10:

Grayscale Bittensor Trust (TAO) Unaudited Interim Financial Statements

Statements of Assets and Liabilities at June 30, 2025 and 2024

F-2

Schedules of Investment at June 30, 2025 and 2024

F-3

Statements of Operations for the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2025 and the Period from June 10, 2024 (the Commencement of the Trust’s Operations) to June 30, 2024

F-4

Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2025 and the Period from June 10, 2024 (the Commencement of the Trust’s Operations) to June 30, 2024

F-5

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements

F-6

Grayscale Bittensor Trust (TAO) Annual Financial Statements

 

 

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

F-15

Statement of Assets and Liabilities at December 31, 2024

F-17

Schedule of Investment at December 31, 2024

F-18

Statement of Operations for the Period from June 10, 2024 (the Commencement of the Trust’s Operations) to December 31, 2024

F-19

Statement of Changes in Net Assets for the Period from June 10, 2024 (the Commencement of the Trust’s Operations) to December 31, 2024

F-20

Notes to the Financial Statements

F-21

 


 

(b) Exhibits. The following documents are filed as exhibits hereto:

 

 

 

Exhibit
Number

Exhibit Description

 

 

4.1

 

Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement

 

 

4.2

 

Certificate of Trust (attached as Exhibit A to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement)

 

 

4.3†

 

Participant Agreement, dated October 3, 2022, between the Sponsor and Grayscale Securities, LLC

 

 

10.1†

 

Custodian Agreement, dated March 12, 2025, between the Sponsor and the Custodian

 

 

10.2†

 

Distribution and Marketing Agreement

 

 

10.3*

 

Reference Rate License Agreement

 

 

10.4†

 

Transfer Agency and Service Agreement

 

 

99.1

 

Information Statement

 

Portions of this exhibit (indicated by asterisks) have been omitted as the Registrant has determined that (i) the omitted information is not material and (ii) the omitted information is of the type that the registrant treats as private or confidential.

*

To be filed by amendment.

 


 

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC

as Sponsor of Grayscale Bittensor Trust (TAO)

 

 

By:

/s/ Edward McGee

Name:

Edward McGee

Title:

Chief Financial Officer*

Date: October 10, 2025

*

The Registrant is a trust and the signatory is signing in his capacity as an authorized officer of Grayscale Investments Sponsors, LLC, the Sponsor of the Registrant.