After more than three months since Pi Network officially launched its Open Network phase, the decentralized ecosystem is finally showing signs of real utility, traction, and developer innovation.
From massive user migration and peer-to-peer commerce to domain name auctions and in-game wallet experiments, Pi Network’s journey in its first 100 days of openness has laid foundational groundwork for what could be one of the most widely-used blockchain platforms.
From Closed Testnet to Open Mainnet: A Historic Shift
The February 2025 launch of Pi Network’s Open Network was a milestone, ending years of closed-community testing. This pivotal transition meant users, developers, and real-world businesses could now interact freely with the Pi blockchain.
Since that point:
- ✔️ 3+ million new users joined the Mainnet
- ✔️ Total Mainnet accounts exceeded 13 million
- ✔️ 7.4 billion Pi was migrated, with 5.2 billion Pi locked and 2.2 billion unlocked
These numbers hint at strong early adoption, especially from users who have been mining Pi since its early mobile mining phase.
Pi Network Ventures: $100M Fund to Fuel Startups
The Pi Core Team launched Pi Network Ventures, a $100 million investment initiative designed to support blockchain startups that build directly on Pi.
Funded in a mix of Pi tokens and USD, the fund’s aim is to:
- Back utility-driven apps
- Accelerate developer growth
- Promote Pi’s use in daily digital life
Early Focus: Gaming
Gaming was the fund’s first experimental frontier. FruityPi, a game built to test in-app transactions, ad revenue, and wallet integration, went live. It integrates:
- Pi Wallet
- Pi Ad Network
- Real-time peer-to-peer payments
The early results show Pi’s potential as a functional digital currency in socially engaging environments.
🛒 Peer-to-Peer Commerce Takes Off With PiFest
In March, Pi hosted its first major community commerce event: PiFest.
The week-long campaign encouraged real-world buying and selling using Pi tokens.
PiFest 2025 by the Numbers:
- ✅ 125,000+ sellers registered
- ✅ 58,000+ active participants
- ✅ 1.8 million+ users on the Map of Pi app
- ✅ 45,000+ community reviews submitted
This event showcased the use of Pi in informal economies and emerging markets where traditional payment methods remain inaccessible or costly.
Identity on the Blockchain: .pi Domains
The .pi domain auction, launched during PiFest, marked a big move toward digital identity inside the ecosystem.
- ✔️ 123,000+ bids
- ✔️ 57,000+ unique bidders
- ✔️ Over 3 million Pi spent in bids
These domains will become core identifiers across apps, wallets, and services within the Pi blockchain. Think of them like ENS domains on Ethereum — simple, personalized access points in Web3.
Developer Access & App Ecosystem Growth
To encourage decentralized development, Pi introduced updates to the developer portal:
- Developers who meet criteria can now list apps directly
- Pi Ad Network expanded access to more developers
- Users gained new tools to discover trending Pi apps
These enhancements helped developers monetize through ads, while users found it easier to explore what the ecosystem has to offer.
New community apps are popping up across categories like:
- Finance
- Entertainment
- Social tools
- Local commerce
Security & KYC Improvements
Pi took major steps to improve account security and ease-of-access:
- ✉️ Two-factor authentication (2FA) shifted from SMS to email for reliability
- 🙋♂️ Verified users can now change phone numbers with a simple liveness check
- ✅ Support for Yoti identity verification added
- ❌ KYC bugs affecting some users were patched
Security and ease-of-use are crucial as Pi seeks to scale its network with trust and safety in mind.
The Road Ahead: What’s Next for Pi Network?
With a live Mainnet, active developer base, and marketplace testing complete, Pi now faces its next challenge: real-world adoption.
Key areas to watch:
- New startups funded by Pi Network Ventures
- Expansion of gaming and P2P commerce tools
- Broader KYC access and user onboarding
- Global use cases beyond early Pi adopters
The next 100 days will likely determine whether Pi evolves from a community-driven experiment into a widely-used Web3 platform.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the Pi Network Open Network?
It’s the current phase where Pi’s blockchain is open to public access, allowing external apps, users, and businesses to build and transact freely.
Q2: How many users are on the Pi Mainnet now?
Over 13 million users have joined the Pi Mainnet since the Open Network launch.
Q3: What is PiFest?
PiFest is a community commerce initiative where users bought and sold goods using Pi tokens across various local marketplaces.
Q4: What are .pi domains?
These are custom domain names used as digital identities across Pi apps and services. Think of them as Pi’s version of ENS on Ethereum.
Q5: Is Pi Network secure now?
Yes. The network introduced better 2FA, added email authentication, and fixed major KYC bugs.
Q6: What is the Pi Network Ventures fund?
A $100 million fund launched to support startups building on the Pi blockchain, especially in areas like gaming, payments, and identity.
Disclaimer:
This article is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments are subject to risk. Please consult with a certified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The author and this platform do not assume responsibility for losses.
