Pi Network has announced a critical deadline for its mainnet node operators: they must upgrade to Protocol 25 by June 18, 2026, or risk being disconnected from the network. The Core Team made the announcement on June 9 via social platform X, stating, "The Pi Mainnet is upgrading to Protocol 25. Deadline: June 18. All Mainnet nodes are required to complete this step before the deadline to remain connected to the network."
This protocol upgrade is part of Pi Network's sequential roadmap, which began in February 2026 with the introduction of version 19.6. Previous upgrades, including v19.9, v20.2, v22, and v23, were deployed on schedule. However, the transition to Protocol 24, originally due by May 15, faced significant delays. The team later acknowledged that v24 was "one of the most challenging" upgrades, as it involved multiple subsystem upgrades and internal data reprocessing. The deployment was finally completed in early June. In light of that experience, the team now cautions that Protocol 25 may similarly take longer than expected, warning node operators to plan accordingly.
The upgrade process varies by node type. Users running Pi Desktop on Windows or macOS will have the protocol update trigger automatically when the node software starts. Linux users with the newer Pi Linux Node CLI can rely on automatic updates if enabled; otherwise, a manual command is required. Operators using legacy self-managed Docker containers must update their Docker image and restart services with the latest Protocol 25 release. Pi Network recommends that downtime should be under five minutes for most nodes, but advises against upgrading all nodes simultaneously, suggesting operators redirect traffic or use the mainnet API infrastructure during the migration.
Community response has been active, with advocates like PiNetwork DEX planning to batch-notify operators to ensure a smooth transition. Discussions have also emerged about the total number of active nodes—some wonder if the count has approached 400,000—highlighting interest in the network's scale. For developers and investors, the upgrade demonstrates continued technical progress, though it is not a direct price catalyst. Pi Network remains under pressure from large token unlocks and weak market sentiment, but steady node upgrades show the project's commitment to infrastructural maturity.
