The Pi Network Ecosystem is Accelerating at Hyper Speed

Pi Network celebrated Pi Day 2026, announcing an abundance of new capabilities and features 

The social cryptocurrency Pi Network, with more than 60 million engaged Pi users (Pioneers) has just marked the seventh anniversary of its network with a series of ecosystem releases.

The releases are focused on expanding infrastructure, increasing utility, and enabling greater participation from Pioneers and developers.

Additionally, the centralized exchange Kraken has integrated support for Pi, as third-party services that pass Pi’s KYB verification may integrate with Pi Network to facilitate connections with external systems and the broader crypto ecosystem.

Pi Network is a social, developer platform and ecosystem designed for widespread accessibility and real-world utility. It enables users to mine and transact Pi using a mobile-friendly interface while supporting applications built within its blockchain ecosystem.

The Updates and Features 

Pi’s updates include the release of Pi Launchpad MVP version on Testnet, progress in Node and Protocol Upgrades, the start of Second migrations and KYC Validator rewards, alongside new capabilities like Mainnet Pi payments in Pi App Studio to enhance utility. The new releases also include a new Centralized Exchange listing that further widens the access to Pi.

The initial version of the Token Launchpad has been released as a Pi App on the Testnet with a test token! The Launchpad implements the mechanism in Design 1 of the Pi Request for Comment released on Pi’s Open Network anniversary. Ecosystem tokens released by the Launchpad are designed as tools to acquire users for their applications and to integrate directly into the functionality of the issuing project’s product—such as enabling access, payments, rewards, governance, etc. within the app. The proceeds of Pi from the launch of ecosystem tokens, instead of being taken by the issuing project, will go to a liquidity pool with the ecosystem token which bootstraps a healthy liquidity foundation from the start. 

On the infrastructure side, all major Pi Nodes have now been upgraded to version 20.2 and are supporting protocol 20. Pi has also completed the upgrade of its Mainnet blockchain to protocol 20. Protocol 20 provides the foundation to enable smart contract capabilities, and the rollout of smart contracts will occur gradually, prioritizing categories that align with utility-based product innovation and operations. The specific types of smart contracts featured will depend heavily on the needs arising from the utility creation process.

Second migrations of Pioneer transferable balances have started and will continue with a gradual rollout, opening the door for Pioneers to bring additional Pi to Mainnet and further participate in the ecosystem. Second migrations will also include referral mining bonuses attributable to Referral Team members who fully passed KYC.

Pi is releasing the first round of KYC validation rewards to human validators for their contributions to Pi’s native KYC solution. Rewards will be distributed for over 520 million successful human validations done by over 1 million human validators. The scale, consistency, and coordination from the large distributed human labor force of the Pi community has shown that it can lead to meaningful real-world results at global scale that require human judgement and input. 

For app creators, Pi App Studio now supports Mainnet apps and in-app payments integration on the Mainnet blockchain! This means select App Studio apps can transition from Testnet to Mainnet if they qualify for the criteria of Mainnet apps, and then integrate live Pi transactions directly into the user experience. 

The Pi Ecosystem

Chengdiao Fan and Nicolas Kokkalis, co-founders of Pi Network 

These Pi Day releases represent further milestones in supporting the Pi ecosystem’s infrastructure, developer capabilities, and utility layer as more Pioneers migrate to Mainnet and participate in the network’s growing set of applications and services.

Pi Network was co-founded by Chengdiao Fan and Nicolas Kokkalis and first publicly listed its mobile app in 2019 with the vision of creating the world’s most inclusive, peer-to-peer digital ecosystem. On February 20, 2025, after six years of development, Pi officially launched its Open Network phase, enabling external connectivity to the network that boasts over 60 million Engaged Pioneers.

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.