Dear Masa Community,

Today, the Masa Foundation is announcing the first of a series of exciting upcoming changes and upgrades to the MASA Network. These changes pave the way for our future integration with the Bittensor (TAO) EVM upgrade, as well as our upcoming MASA Protocol Mainnet Launch. These changes will streamline our continued path to becoming the largest and most scalable decentralized data network in the world. Throughout this process, we're committed to keeping you informed  and ensuring a smooth transition for all users.

Why the Upgrades?

• TAO EVM Alignment: Opentensor recently announced  TAO EVM, which is coming to Bittensor mainnet. The TAO EVM upgrade will give us the ability to launch the MASA token natively on Bittensor. Masa Subnet 42 (SN42) plans be one of the first subnets to incorporate staking and MASA rewards for Validators and Miners on SN42. This will fully integrate our Masa Protocol with our Bittensor Masa Subnet, enabling dual rewards for Validators and Miners.

• Masa Protocol Staking: As the protocol transitions from testnet to mainnet we need to make incremental upgrades to the current staking contracts to facilitate this progressive transition. We are seeing incredible momentum with developer adoption and are now getting ready to do the final preparations for the Masa Protocol mainnet launch.

• Masa Avalanche Subnet: As a result of our upgraded infrastructure plans, Masa made the decision to sunset the current Avalanche Subnet. Masa is engaged in ongoing discussions of a strategic AI partnerships with Avalanche, which align with our shared  focus for Fair AI.

What's Changing?

1) Staking Contract Upgrades We're upgrading our staking contracts across all chains to improve consistency and prepare for validator and miner staking rewards. This upgrade will lay the groundwork for our upcoming Masa Protocol Mainnet launch and align with deploying EVM smart contracts on Bittensor (TAO) when they launch.

What this Means for Users:

• Staking is currently paused until new contracts are deployed on all networks

• Staking balances will be migrated to new contracts

• Staking claims will be processed once contract migration is completed

• Users impacted:

  1. Staking balances are still visible in the app.

  2. No new users can currently stake tokens at this time

  3. Users who’s staking period has ended cannot un-stake and initialize a cooldown until migration is completed

  4. Users who have initialized a cooldown will not be able to claim until migration is completed

We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused our users with staked that have unlocked tokens who wish to un-stake. Know that your tokens remain safe, and you’ll continue to earn MASA while staked until the new staking contracts are upgraded and the staking claim is reopened.

2) Avalanche Subnet Deprecation As part of our ongoing efforts to streamline our infrastructure and to focus on AI, we've made the decision to deprecate our current Avalanche Subnet.

Masa made this decision which allows us to focus and concentrate our resources on core features and future deployments around the Bittensor (TAO) ecosystem, which we believe will maintain decentralized AI dominance. We are also in a strategic AI partnership conversation with Avalanche, which aligns ith our shared focus for Fair AI.

What this Means for Users:

• If you have token balances which are currently held on the Masa Subnet, you will be affected by this migration.

• Next Step: Please transfer MASA tokens from the Masa Subnet using the bridge to the Base blockchain: https://app.masa.ai/bridge

• Any unclaimed tokens will be minted on Base and airdropped to the same wallet when the Masa Subnet is shut down

• Please Note: Bridge transfers from Masa Subnet to BSC and ETH are currently disabled. Please do not attempt any bridge transfers at this time or it will result in a loss of funds.

3) Base Token Swap As part of the deprecation of the Avalanche Subnet, we are using the Base blockchain as part of the migration process. It is low gas and user friendly.

For security purposes  during the migration process, we are encouraging users to transfer their tokens to Base blockchain, and re-issuing any untransferred tokens from the Avalanche Subnet to Base, while the Avalanche Subnet is being deprecated.

Any Avalanche Subnet Masa at the time of shutdown will be re-minted on a new Base MASAv2 token contract so there is no loss of user funds. This means the current Base MASAv1 token contract will be deprecated and a new token contract, MASAv2, will be deployed. We will also be upgrading the LayerZero bridge to BSC and ETH.

A snapshot of Base MASAv1 and Masa Subnet MASA will be taken on the 31st of October, and tokens will be issued on the newly deployed Base contract. All token lockup contracts, staking contracts, and Masa Foundation DEX liquidity will also be migrated.

What this Means for Users:

• Effective immediately users will not be able to bridge MASA from Base to ETH or BSC chains; any attempt will result in the loss of funds.

• After the 31st of October, MASAv1 on Base will be depreciated and no longer retain value, and all users will get MASAv2 on Base with current market value. MASAv1 will no longer be supported.

• MASA staking on Base will migrate to a MASAv2 staking contract.

• After the migration, users will be able to Bridge MASAv2 to ETH and BSC

• All airdrop lockups will migrate to MASAv2.

• The contract address (CA) for MASA on Base will change.

• Users impacted

  1. All current users on Base chain

  2. All users who are are eligible for the Masa Airdrop

The Migration Process

We understand that these changes are significant, so we want to assure you that we've designed this process with your needs in mind:

1. Gradual Implementation: We'll be implementing changes over the next 2-6 weeks to ensure a smooth transition.

2. Regular Updates: We'll provide frequent updates on our progress through our official channels.

3. Support Available: Our support team will be on hand to assist with any questions or concerns throughout the process.

4. Immediate Changes: This is due to ensuring the most secure and smooth migration, and we appreciate your patience during this process.

In Summary: What You Need to Do

Given the nature of these changes, some user actions may be required:

1. Do not attempt to bridge MASA from Base to ETH or BSC chains, as this will result in loss of funds.

2. If you have MASA tokens on the Avalanche Subnet, consider transferring them to the Base blockchain before the migration using the bridge in the Masa App: https://app.masa.ai/bridge

3. Be prepared for the token swap on the Base blockchain. After October 31st, only MASAv2 tokens will be supported. Make sure to add the new smart contract to your wallet and only trade using the MASAv2 smart contract.

4. Staking is currently paused, but tracking balances is still available in the Masa App: https://app.masa.ai/staking

5. Keep an eye on our official announcements for specific dates and any necessary actions.

6. Reach out to our support team if you have any questions or concerns. The Masa Team has created a Discord Support chanel for any support needs: LINK

Looking Ahead

These upgrades are crucial steps in our journey towards a more robust and efficient Masa ecosystem. We're excited about the future possibilities these changes unlock, including enhanced staking capabilities, improved interoperability, and deeper integration with the Bittensor (TAO) ecosystem.

We're deeply grateful for your continued support and patience during this migration and upgrade process. Your trust in our platform drives us to continually improve and innovate.

Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for being part of the Masa journey!

Best regards,

The Masa Team