What the Project Is Actually About

Altcoins

PI Coin, the native cryptocurrency of the Pi Network, aims to revolutionize crypto by making mining accessible to anyone via a mobile app.

Launched on March 14, 2019, by Stanford graduates Dr. Nicolas Kokkalis and Dr. Chengdiao Fan, Pi’s mission is to break down technical and financial barriers to entry, establishing “the world’s most inclusive peer‑to‑peer ecosystem.”

1. Mobile-First & Energy-Efficient

Unlike Bitcoin’s energy‑intensive mining via Proof-of-Work (PoW), the altcoin uses a lightweight mobile method inspired by the Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP). Users—called “Pioneers”—can mine Pi simply by tapping a button in the app once every 24 hours. No specialized hardware, no battery drain, and minimal data usage. Mining requires participation in “Security Circles,” groups of trusted contacts that help secure the network.

2. Tokenomics & Roles

The PI ecosystem features four roles:

Pioneer: Mines tokens daily via the app.
Contributor: Secures network through Security Circles.
Ambassador: Earns referral bonuses for inviting new members.
Node Operator: Runs desktop software to validate transactions.

Total supply is capped at 100 billion PI, with 80% allocated to community rewards and 20% reserved for the core team. Mining rates halve gradually to limit inflation.

3. Mainnet Evolution

The project progressed in phases:

Beta (2019): Mobile mining and user growth.
Testnet (2020): Network testing and limited node setup.
Enclosed Mainnet (2021): Wallets live internally, but PI non-transferable.
Open Mainnet (Feb 20, 2025): The altcoin became fully tradable — exchanges like OKX, Gate, Bitget, and MEXC list it.

With Open Mainnet, PI can now be sent between wallets and used in dApps via the Pi Browser.

4. Ecosystem Ambitions

Pi Network’s long-term vision includes:

Enabling decentralized apps (dApps) using the altcoin.
Building a Pi-based marketplace for peer-to-peer transactions.
Integrating identity and payments through the Pi Browser and On-chain capabilities.

So far, Pi boasts over 60 million users globally, showing strong community-driven growth.

5. Criticisms & Concerns

Centralization: Though claiming decentralization via SCP and Security Circles, multiple sources report that all mainnet validator nodes are still run by the Pi Core Team.
Transparency: The project lacks a detailed white paper, leaving tokenomics and distribution info opaque.
Pump-and-Dump Risk: PI saw a price spike (~$1.60 on May 12, 2025), then plunged >50% in days—sparking allegations of insider dumping from core wallets.
MLM Structure: The referral model has drawn comparisons to pyramid schemes.
Security & Privacy: Although mobile wallets use encryption and secure enclaves, KYC data is stored centrally. Past issues occurred with centralized storage and data practices.

6. Can You Buy or Use It?

Yes—but with caution. PI is available on centralized exchanges like OKX, Gate, Bitget, MEXC, and Pionex, requiring users to migrate Pi to the mainnet and pass KYC. However, major platforms like Binance and Coinbase have not yet listed it, limiting liquidity.

Conclusion

Pi Coin is an ambitious experiment to democratize cryptocurrency via mobile mining and social consensus. Its approachable design and massive user base are impressive, but that success is clouded by centralization issues, unclear technical documentation, and significant token volatility. The true test will lie in whether the token can mature into a widely adopted, decentralized platform with real utility. Cannons like scams or blockchain pioneers? The answer depends on roadmap delivery and community-driven transparency in the next 12–24 months.

Author

Kosta Gushterov

Reporter at Coindoo

Kosta has been a part of the team since 2021 and has solidified his position with a thirst for knowledge, incredible dedication to his work and a “detective-like” mindset. He not only covers a wide range of trending topics, he also creates reviews, PR articles and educational content. His work has also been referenced by other news outlets.