AlphaBurned
Event v257 → v265, v273 → v277, v290 → v292, v297 → v315, v320 → v326, v334 → v367, v372 → v377, v385 → v385, v391 → v402, v411 → current Changed in v411 #96Emitted when alpha tokens are permanently burned.
View events on chainThe Big Picture
Alpha burning permanently removes tokens from circulation. Unlike recycling (which returns Alpha to the subnet's available pool), burning destroys tokens forever. This is a deflationary mechanism - burned Alpha can never be recovered. Burning makes remaining Alpha more scarce and potentially more valuable. It's the ultimate commitment to reducing supply.
Why This Matters
When Alpha is burned, total supply permanently decreases. For remaining holders, this is potentially positive - less supply means each token represents a larger share of the pool. If you're burning, you're sacrificing your tokens to benefit the collective.
Example Scenario
You decide to support subnet 5's token economics by burning 100 Alpha. AlphaBurned fires with your account and 100 Alpha. Those tokens are gone forever. SubnetAlphaOut for subnet 5 doesn't change (unlike recycling), but total supply is reduced, benefiting all remaining Alpha holders.
Common Questions
- What's the difference between burning and recycling?
- Burning destroys Alpha forever - it's gone from existence. Recycling returns Alpha to the subnet's available pool, where it can be claimed by future stakers. Both reduce your position, but burning is more dramatic.
- Why would anyone burn instead of unstaking?
- Unstaking converts Alpha to TAO (you keep value). Burning destroys value entirely. Burning is typically an altruistic or protocol-driven action, not a personal financial optimization.
- Does burning affect the Alpha/TAO exchange rate?
- Indirectly. Lower total supply could make Alpha more scarce relative to TAO demand, potentially improving the rate. But immediate rate impact depends on the bonding curve mechanics.
Use Cases
- Track deflationary events on subnets
- Monitor Alpha supply changes
- Analyze token economics and burn rates
- Build Alpha supply tracking dashboards
How to Use This Event
- → Track burn events for supply analysis
- → Monitor cumulative burns over time
- → Build deflationary pressure indicators
From Chain Metadata
Alpha have been burned without reducing AlphaOut. Parameters: (coldkey, hotkey, amount, subnet_id)
Triggers
Emitted by
Preconditions
- Account has alpha to burn
- Burn operation requested
Effects
Storage Modified
Postconditions
- User's alpha decreased
- Alpha permanently removed from circulation
Side Effects
- Deflationary pressure on alpha supply
Event Data
| # | Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | arg0 → coldkey | AccountId | Coldkey whose stake was reduced (hex -> SS58) |
| 1 | arg1 → hotkey | AccountId | Hotkey whose stake position was decreased (hex -> SS58) |
| 2 | arg2 → amount_alpha | u64 AlphaBalance | Alpha amount burned in alpha-RAO (actual share-pool decrease). Unlike Recycled, Burned does NOT decrement SubnetAlphaOut — alpha is destroyed without affecting issuance accounting. |
| 3 | arg3 → netuid | u16 NetUid | Subnet on which alpha was burned |
Code Examples
import { createClient, Binary } from "polkadot-api";
import { getWsProvider } from "polkadot-api/ws";
import { sub } from "@polkadot-api/descriptors"; // generated by: npx papi add sub -w wss://entrypoint-finney.opentensor.ai:443
const client = createClient(getWsProvider("wss://entrypoint-finney.opentensor.ai:443"));
const api = client.getTypedApi(sub);
// Subscribe to AlphaBurned events
client.finalizedBlock$.subscribe(async (block) => {
const events = await api.event.SubtensorModule.AlphaBurned.get(block.hash);
for (const evt of events) {
console.log("AlphaBurned:", evt.payload);
}
});Version History
Runtime Info
View Source- Pallet Index
- 7
- Event Index
- 96
- First Version
- v257
- Current Version
- v411