The final quarter outlook for XRP and Pi Network's PI is dividing AI models, though most see XRP as the more structurally sound bet. XRP has climbed 22% over the past week, while PI has gained about 8% and remains below $0.10.
OpenAI's ChatGPT described XRP as better positioned for steady Q4 performance, citing increased adoption, growth in Ripple’s ecosystem, and sustained demand through XRP-related investment products. Spot XRP ETFs have now posted 10 consecutive weeks of net inflows, with cumulative inflows above $1.7 billion. For PI, ChatGPT said a bull run would depend on further mainnet migrations and milestones from the Core Team, making the token a higher-volatility, lottery-ticket-style bet.
Perplexity echoed that view, noting PI is cheaper and smaller, so a successful DeFi bootstrapping phase could deliver a larger percentage move. However, it warned that Pi Network faces persistent supply pressure: about 11% of supply is circulating and daily unlocks create sell pressure. It added that Protocol 27 and the DEX are genuine positives but must generate real transaction volume, liquidity, and app usage before PI can sustain a re-rating. Without that shift, PI is more likely to stay range-bound near $0.08-$0.12.
Gemini argued XRP is "structurally and fundamentally" positioned to outperform PI in Q4 2026. It highlighted XRP listings on nearly every major global exchange, while PI remains unavailable on Binance and Coinbase, and pointed to Ripple’s institutional partnerships with banks and payment providers. Gemini also warned that PI faces ongoing sell pressure from token unlocks.
Separately, Pi Network's Protocol 27 has cleared its final technical hurdle before mainnet, stabilizing on Testnet 2 at 250 transactions per second with no failures. KYC fixes have already unblocked 417,000 Pioneers, and another 497,000 are expected to follow within a week. PI trades near $0.08790, down 0.23%, inside a narrowing triangle between the July low near $0.07 and the June high near $0.11. Traders are watching $0.0975 as the breakout level, with near-term bullish structure intact above $0.086.
