TAO's 23% Surge Reflects Growing Institutional Appetite for AI Staking

TAO, the Bittensor AI cryptocurrency, surged 23% in early November 2025 following the launch of a new European ETP (Exchange-Traded Product) on the SIX Swiss Exchange, according to a Coindoo report. The staked Bittensor ETP (STAO), developed by Safello and DDA, offers regulated investors exposure to TAO while including staking rewards, marking a significant milestone for institutional adoption, the Coindoo report noted. This development coincided with broader market enthusiasm for AI-driven assets, as Bitcoin miners raised $11 billion in convertible debt to build AI data centers, the piece added.

The TAO rally mirrored a broader crypto market rebound, with Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) rising over 65% in seven days and DeepSnitch AI ($DSNT) emerging as a top presale project, the Coindoo report said. Analysts highlighted the potential for asymmetric returns in early-stage AI tokens, contrasting with established projects like TAO and VIRTUAL, which prioritize steady growth, the report added. DeepSnitch AI, which has raised over $486,000 in its presale, is being positioned as a disruptor due to its trader-focused AI tools, including SnitchScan for scam detection.

Meanwhile, institutional confidence in crypto continued to grow. Coinbase reported $432.6 million in Q3 net profit and $1.9 billion in revenue, driven by institutional trading volume and stablecoin services, in a DigitalJournal report. The exchange's Q3 results underscored the maturation of crypto finance, with assets under custody surpassing $300 billion, the DigitalJournal piece noted. Similarly, Strategy, a Bitcoin treasury firm, saw its shares jump 5.7% in after-hours trading after reporting a $2.8 billion net income for Q3, outperforming Wall Street estimates, the Coindoo report highlighted.

On the traditional markets, earnings season delivered mixed signals. Otter Tail (OTTR) reported a 2.7% revenue decline for Q2 2025 but exceeded EPS estimates, according to a MarketBeat earnings page, while Proto Labs (PRLB) noted 7.8% revenue growth driven by U.S. CNC machining and sheet metal demand, per a Fool transcript. In contrast, European manufacturing weakness pressured firms like nVent (NVT), which cited strong performance from its EPG AVAIL division but warned of ongoing challenges in the region, according to an Nvent transcript.

The AI sector's momentum was further reinforced by analyst commentary. RBC's Elvira Scotto upgraded Williams (WMB) to a "buy" ahead of its Q3 earnings, citing secular tailwinds for natural gas infrastructure driven by AI and data center demand, in a CNBC article. Philips also highlighted AI's role in its Q2 2025 results, reporting steady growth in Diagnosis & Treatment and Connected Care segments, per an Investing.com transcript.

As the market digests these developments, the launch of the STAO ETP has added a new layer of institutional liquidity to TAO, with analysts forecasting a potential 115% price increase by October 2026, the Coindoo report suggested. However, volatility remains a concern, particularly for speculative presale tokens like DeepSnitch AI, which faces scrutiny over its self-reported trading volumes, the DigitalJournal piece observed.