The Pi Core Team confirmed on February 20, 2026, that the mandatory Protocol v19.6 upgrade has been successfully completed across the entire Pi Network. This technical milestone was announced via the project's official Twitter account, marking steady progress on the network's 2026 roadmap.
The v19.6 update focused primarily on improving node performance and network reliability, specifically enhancing node synchronization behavior and overall stability. These foundational improvements are designed to prepare the network for more advanced features in subsequent versions. The transition appears to have occurred smoothly, demonstrating strong community participation.
Node operators were required to follow a sequential upgrade path without skipping versions to avoid network disconnection. The team emphasized that this coordinated, global action was essential for maintaining protocol compatibility.
The protocol schedule now advances to v19.9, with a deadline of February 27, 2026, for node operators to complete the transition. This version represents the final required step before the network migrates to v20. The broader 2026 roadmap targets subsequent upgrades to v20.2 and ultimately v23 by Q2 2026, aiming to increase scalability and decentralization. The protocol architecture continues to build upon improvements related to the Stellar Consensus Protocol.
Parallel to the technical upgrades, Pi Network's ecosystem continues to grow, with over 16 million KYC-verified users already migrated to Mainnet. Recent fixes to the KYC process have helped unlock many pending migrations. The team is also testing KYC validator rewards, with a wider rollout expected later in 2026. Development tools like Pi App Studio are expanding to facilitate the creation of payment-enabled applications.
This protocol milestone arrives almost exactly one year after the launch of Pi's Open Mainnet in February 2025. Community response has been largely positive, viewing the successful upgrade as proof of the network's technical maturity, though some users report persistent wallet migration delays and continue to monitor token price volatility.
