Pi Network is preparing for a significant token unlock scheduled for January 2026, involving 134 million PI tokens. This upcoming release is substantially larger than the 8.7 million PI unlocked in late December 2025, which community figures described as a successful stress test for the network's stability.
The December unlock coincided with Pi Network's transition to Open Mainnet, marking a shift from closed testing to broader on-chain activity. Community updates indicate the network has surpassed 60 million registered Pioneers, a milestone supporters cite as evidence of scale and a factor that helped the ecosystem absorb the earlier unlock without visible disruption.
Despite the growth, Pi coin's price discovery remains limited due to ongoing market restrictions. The token was trading around $0.2025, down over 93% from its all-time high, with trading volume falling to approximately $10 million. The upcoming 134 million token unlock represents over $27 million in value at current prices.
Community moderators and developers have framed the January unlock as part of a long-planned emission schedule, arguing that predictable releases reduce uncertainty. They emphasize a focus on utility and gradual ecosystem development rather than short-term price action. The Pi Core Team has invested part of a $100 million ecosystem fund into companies like CiDi Games and OpenMind and is trialing a decentralized exchange and automated market maker tools, with a mainnet launch scheduled for 2026.
Analysts note that while token unlocks often create short-term selling pressure, the ultimate impact depends on trading access, utility demand, and user behavior. The pace of unlocks is expected to decline after January, potentially leading to a lower inflation rate in the first half of 2026.
