Pi Network users are experiencing significant changes within the mobile application this week, including fluctuating mining rates, updated referral numbers, and altered balance displays. According to community reports, these are not errors but part of ongoing system upgrades as the network prepares for its next mainnet phase. Various updates shared on social media platform X point to deeper backend work related to protocol upgrades and synchronization.
The network is transitioning from older testnet configurations to newer, mainnet-ready systems. During this process, short-term data variations are expected. The community has noted that the Pi app updates data in phases, not all at once, explaining why some users see changes earlier than others. These upgrades align with Pi Network's 2026 development goals, with the app now displaying new long-term objectives that replaced the previous 2025 targets.
A key technical development involves the third-party toolkit "stellar-pi-coin-sdk," which released version 23.4.1. This update fully synchronizes with Stellar Protocol 25 while maintaining compatibility with Pi Network Protocol 23, aiming to ensure stability, security, and seamless integration for the upcoming mainnet launch. While this SDK is not an official Pi Core Team product, it indicates active preparation by external developers for Pi's future ecosystem.
The timing is critical as Pi Network enters a sensitive period in January 2026. Approximately 134 million PI tokens are scheduled to be unlocked this month, coinciding with an expected mainnet-related community vote by the end of January. This has led to mixed reactions: some users express concern over potential selling pressure, while long-term supporters emphasize that value will stem from real-world utility, not short-term price movements.
Although official detailed statements from the Pi Core Team remain limited, the ongoing updates signal active preparation for the next phase. Users may witness further short-term changes, with the overarching goal appearing to be a smoother and more stable mainnet launch.
