{"id":12400,"date":"2025-02-14T02:33:45","date_gmt":"2025-02-14T02:33:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/?p=12400"},"modified":"2025-02-17T02:34:47","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T02:34:47","slug":"pi-network-mainnet-launch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/pi-network-mainnet-launch\/","title":{"rendered":"Pi Network Mainnet 2025 &#8211; 6 Years of Revolutionary Mobile Mining Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_56_1 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/pi-network-mainnet-launch\/#The_Origin_of_Pi_Network\" title=\"The Origin of Pi Network\">The Origin of Pi Network<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/pi-network-mainnet-launch\/#The_Vision_and_Journey\" title=\"The Vision and Journey\">The Vision and Journey<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/pi-network-mainnet-launch\/#The_Road_to_Mainnet_Key_Milestones\" title=\"The Road to Mainnet: Key Milestones\">The Road to Mainnet: Key Milestones<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/pi-network-mainnet-launch\/#What_the_Mainnet_Launch_Means_for_Users\" title=\"What the Mainnet Launch Means for Users\">What the Mainnet Launch Means for Users<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/pi-network-mainnet-launch\/#What_the_Mainnet_Launch_Means_for_Developers\" title=\"What the Mainnet Launch Means for Developers\">What the Mainnet Launch Means for Developers<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/pi-network-mainnet-launch\/#Challenges_and_Criticisms\" title=\"Challenges and Criticisms\">Challenges and Criticisms<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/pi-network-mainnet-launch\/#Conclusion_A_New_Chapter_for_Pi_Network\" title=\"Conclusion: A New Chapter for Pi Network\">Conclusion: A New Chapter for Pi Network<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>On February 20, 2025, Pi Network will officially launch its Open Mainnet, marking a historic milestone in the evolution of this ambitious cryptocurrency project. From its inception to this momentous day, Pi Network has undergone a transformative journey, driven by its community of users (Pioneers) and developers. This article explores the story of Pi Network, its achievements, and what the Mainnet launch means for both users and developers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Origin_of_Pi_Network\"><\/span><strong>The Origin of Pi Network<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pi Network\u00a0came\u00a0into\u00a0existence\u00a0in late 2018\u00a0when\u00a0a team of Stanford graduates, Dr. Nicolas Kokkalis and Dr. Chengdiao Fan,\u00a0joined\u00a0hands\u00a0to\u00a0create\u00a0a solution to\u00a0the high barriers to entry\u00a0for\u00a0cryptocurrency mining.\u00a0While\u00a0Bitcoin\u00a0is\u00a0mined\u00a0through\u00a0expensive hardware and consumes\u00a0huge\u00a0amounts of\u00a0electricity, Pi Network introduced\u00a0the\u00a0idea of\u00a0mobile-friendly mining\u00a0that allows users to mine Pi coins using\u00a0smartphones. The project\u00a0was\u00a0launched on Pi Day (March 14, 2019),\u00a0marking\u00a0its\u00a0alignment\u00a0with\u00a0the mathematical constant \u03c0 (3.14).<br><br>Pi\u00a0Network\u00a0placed\u00a0a\u00a0strong\u00a0emphasis\u00a0on\u00a0inclusivity and accessibility\u00a0from the start. Its referral system\u00a0incentivized\u00a0users\u00a0for\u00a0inviting\u00a0others,\u00a0encouraging\u00a0exponential\u00a0growth.\u00a0Pi Network boasts over 70 million users worldwide\u00a0as of 2025, with 19 million\u00a0having\u00a0completed\u00a0Know Your Customer (KYC) verification and 10.14 million\u00a0having\u00a0migrated\u00a0to the Mainnet\u00a0successfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Vision_and_Journey\"><\/span>The Vision and Journey<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When Pi Network\u00a0launched\u00a0in 2019,\u00a0cryptocurrency\u00a0was\u00a0controlled\u00a0by mining farms and\u00a0custom\u00a0hardware,\u00a0making\u00a0it\u00a0incredibly\u00a0difficult\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0average person to participate.\u00a0The founders of\u00a0Pi Network\u00a0had\u00a0a different\u00a0vision: a mobile-first cryptocurrency that anyone could mine\u00a0using\u00a0their\u00a0phone. Their\u00a0mantra\u00a0to &#8220;Build a cryptocurrency and smart contracts platform secured and operated by everyday people&#8221; has\u00a0driven\u00a0their\u00a0efforts\u00a0over the\u00a0last\u00a0six years.<br><br>The network&#8217;s\u00a0dedication\u00a0to\u00a0usability\u00a0has\u00a0never\u00a0faltered\u00a0since\u00a0going\u00a0live.\u00a0Instead\u00a0of\u00a0rushing to market, Pi Network\u00a0took\u00a0a\u00a0gradual, phase-by-phase\u00a0strategy\u00a0emphasizing\u00a0community\u00a0and technical\u00a0building.\u00a0That\u00a0approach\u00a0has\u00a0yielded\u00a0a\u00a0first\u00a0in\u00a0cryptocurrency\u00a0history: a network with millions of\u00a0active\u00a0users\u00a0prior\u00a0to\u00a0mainnet launch\u00a0on 20th February, 2025. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-8-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"Pi Network mainnet launch\" class=\"wp-image-12402\" srcset=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-8-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-8-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-8-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-8-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-8.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Road_to_Mainnet_Key_Milestones\"><\/span><strong>The Road to Mainnet: Key Milestones<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pi Network\u2019s journey to the Mainnet launch has been marked by deliberate phases and significant achievements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Beta Phase (2019-2020):<\/strong> Pi\u00a0Network\u00a0started\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0launch of the\u00a0mobile app\u00a0in December 2018\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0officially launched\u00a0the\u00a0network\u00a0on Pi Day (March 14, 2019).\u00a0In\u00a0this\u00a0phase, Pi Network\u00a0concentrated\u00a0on\u00a0developing\u00a0the\u00a0core infrastructure and\u00a0network\u00a0community. The mobile app\u00a0was\u00a0used\u00a0as\u00a0a proof-of-concept and\u00a0also as\u00a0a\u00a0way\u00a0to\u00a0distribute\u00a0Pi tokens while\u00a0constructing\u00a0the social trust graph\u00a0that\u00a0is\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0core of the\u00a0network&#8217;s security model.\u00a0The\u00a0main\u00a0accomplishments\u00a0in the\u00a0Beta\u00a0phase include:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mobile mining infrastructure development<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Growth to over 3.5 million engaged users<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Establishment of presence in 233 countries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Development of core security mechanisms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Testnet Phase (2020-2021):<\/strong> March 2020 marked a\u00a0key\u00a0technical\u00a0milestone\u00a0with the\u00a0release\u00a0of Pi&#8217;s Testnet.\u00a0In\u00a0this phase,\u00a0the\u00a0real\u00a0blockchain infrastructure that would\u00a0come\u00a0to\u00a0support\u00a0the mainnet\u00a0was rolled out. The testnet\u00a0phase\u00a0was\u00a0important\u00a0to\u00a0test\u00a0and\u00a0iterate\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0core\u00a0elements of the network,\u00a0such\u00a0as\u00a0the consensus\u00a0protocol, node operations, and developer tools.\u00a0Some\u00a0of\u00a0the highlights were:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Release of distributed node infrastructure<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deployment of Pi Browser and SDK<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Implementation of smart contract capabilities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>First Pioneer hackathon<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Growth to over 10,000 functional community nodes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mainnet Phase (2021-2025): <\/strong>The mainnet phase represents Pi Network&#8217;s most sophisticated implementation, divided into two strategic periods:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Enclosed Network Period (2021-2025)<\/strong>: This controlled environment allowed for:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Systematic KYC verification implementation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gradual balance migration<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Development of initial ecosystem applications<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Testing of economic models<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Refinement of security systems<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Open Network Period (2025-)<\/strong>: The final stage brings:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Full external connectivity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Community node participation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cross-chain integration<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Expanded ecosystem development<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_the_Mainnet_Launch_Means_for_Users\"><\/span><strong>What the Mainnet Launch Means for Users<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For Pioneers, the Open Mainnet launch is a moment of empowerment. Here\u2019s what users can expect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Global Connectivity:<\/strong><br>Now\u00a0that\u00a0the firewall\u00a0is dropped, Pi coins can\u00a0be used outside\u00a0of\u00a0the Pi ecosystem. This\u00a0paves\u00a0the\u00a0way\u00a0for global transactions,\u00a0interoperability\u00a0with other blockchains, and\u00a0listings on cryptocurrency exchanges\u00a0such\u00a0as\u00a0OKX, which has already\u00a0announced\u00a0PI trading pairs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Real-World Utility:<\/strong><br>More\u00a0than\u00a0100 Mainnet-ready\u00a0applications\u00a0will\u00a0allow\u00a0Pioneers to\u00a0utilize\u00a0Pi coins for\u00a0online transactions,\u00a0goods, and\u00a0services.\u00a0Activities\u00a0such\u00a0as\u00a0Pi Fest,\u00a0in\u00a0which\u00a027,000\u00a0merchants\u00a0and 950,000\u00a0buyers\u00a0utilized\u00a0Pi\u00a0to conduct transactions,\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0the\u00a0increasing\u00a0real-world\u00a0use cases.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Increased Value Potential:<\/strong><br>The launch\u00a0can\u00a0unlock\u00a0the\u00a0market value\u00a0of\u00a0Pi,\u00a0hitherto\u00a0theoretical.\u00a0Though\u00a0there\u00a0are\u00a0some users\u00a0speculating\u00a0that\u00a0prices\u00a0can be\u00a0as\u00a0much\u00a0as $314,159\u00a0for\u00a0each\u00a0Pi, others\u00a0expect\u00a0less\u00a0ambitious\u00a0valuations.\u00a0Its\u00a0actual\u00a0value will\u00a0be\u00a0determined\u00a0by\u00a0adoption\u00a0levels\u00a0and market demand.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_the_Mainnet_Launch_Means_for_Developers\"><\/span><strong>What the Mainnet Launch Means for Developers<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For developers,\u00a0Open Mainnet\u00a0is\u00a0a\u00a0whole\u00a0new\u00a0dawn\u00a0of innovation and\u00a0possibility. You can\u00a0give\u00a0back\u00a0to the community in\u00a0several\u00a0ways\u00a0such\u00a0as\u00a0developing\u00a0applications, integrating pi SDK\u00a0into\u00a0other dApps,\u00a0bringing\u00a0more\u00a0individuals\u00a0into\u00a0the community, etc.\u00a0Go\u00a0to the Developer Section <a href=\"https:\/\/pi-apps.github.io\/community-developer-guide\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/pi-apps.github.io\/community-developer-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>. <br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"556\" src=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-9-1024x556.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12431\" srcset=\"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-9-1024x556.png 1024w, https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-9-300x163.png 300w, https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-9-768x417.png 768w, https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-9-1536x834.png 1536w, https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/image-9-2048x1112.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Expanded Ecosystem:<\/strong><br>Developers\u00a0are\u00a0now\u00a0able to\u00a0integrate their dApps with\u00a0outside\u00a0systems\u00a0for\u00a0seamless transactions and interactions. This\u00a0increases\u00a0the\u00a0user base and\u00a0usefulness\u00a0of Pi-based applications.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Decentralized Participation:<\/strong><br>By\u00a0disabling\u00a0the firewall,\u00a0developers\u00a0are now able\u00a0to\u00a0operate\u00a0nodes on the Pi Network Mainnet,\u00a0helping\u00a0to\u00a0decentralize\u00a0and\u00a0secure it. The Pi Core Team will\u00a0give\u00a0priority\u00a0to quality\u00a0contributors for node migration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Business Integration:<\/strong><br>Businesses can now\u00a0become\u00a0part of\u00a0the Pi ecosystem\u00a0via\u00a0Know Your Business (KYB) verification. This\u00a0allows\u00a0them to\u00a0receive\u00a0Pi payments, further\u00a0fueling\u00a0adoption and utility.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Challenges_and_Criticisms\"><\/span><strong>Challenges and Criticisms<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In\u00a0spite\u00a0of the success, Pi Network has\u00a0also\u00a0faced criticism.\u00a0Questions\u00a0regarding\u00a0the\u00a0delay\u00a0in\u00a0Mainnet\u00a0release,\u00a0delays in\u00a0KYC verification, and\u00a0pyramid\u00a0scheme-like\u00a0allegations\u00a0have raised\u00a0doubts\u00a0over\u00a0its\u00a0legitimacy.\u00a0Yet,\u00a0transparency and community-driven\u00a0development\u00a0have\u00a0enabled\u00a0the\u00a0project thus far to\u00a0overcome\u00a0such\u00a0challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion_A_New_Chapter_for_Pi_Network\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion: A New Chapter for Pi Network<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The\u00a0launch of the\u00a0Pi Network Mainnet\u00a0on February 20, 2025, is a testament to\u00a0innovation\u00a0and\u00a0community\u00a0resilience. For users, it\u00a0opens\u00a0up\u00a0the potential\u00a0for\u00a0Pi coins\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0a\u00a0working\u00a0cryptocurrency. For developers, it opens\u00a0the\u00a0gates\u00a0to a\u00a0rich\u00a0app\u00a0ecosystem\u00a0and integrations. As Pi Network\u00a0moves\u00a0into the\u00a0phase of the\u00a0Open Network, it\u00a0is\u00a0set\u00a0to\u00a0revolutionize\u00a0cryptocurrency adoption and accessibility for millions\u00a0of people across the globe.<br><br>The\u00a0path\u00a0from\u00a0vision to\u00a0complete\u00a0Mainnet has been\u00a0lengthy, but the future\u00a0is\u00a0more\u00a0promising\u00a0than ever for Pi Network and\u00a0humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[71],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-trending-web3"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12400"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12400\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12432,"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12400\/revisions\/12432"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metaschool.so\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}