Pi Network Rolls Out Phase 2 Protocol Upgrades With Mandatory Node Deadline

• Pi Network set March 1 as the mandatory deadline for Step 2 upgrades, and Mainnet nodes that miss it risk losing network connectivity.
• The update advances Pi’s protocol path toward newer Stellar consensus versions, with the Core Team targeting version 23 by June 2026.

Pi Network has started Phase 2 of its Mainnet protocol upgrades and set March 1, 2026, as the cutoff for required updates by Mainnet node operators. Pi Core team noted that nodes that do not complete Step 2 by that date may lose connectivity to the network. Step 2 continues a staged migration of the underlying Stellar-based protocol, moving Mainnet nodes to consensus protocol version 19.9. The deadline follows an earlier migration to version 19.6, as we reported in mid-February, keeping node software aligned before subsequent steps. The work is part of a broader plan to progress toward Stellar consensus protocol version 23 by June 2026.

Protocol upgrades in progress (Step 2 – Deadline: March 1): The Pi Mainnet blockchain protocol continues to undergo a series of upgrades. All Mainnet nodes are required to complete this step before the deadline to remain connected to the network. Details here:…

— Pi Network (@PiCoreTeam) February 25, 2026

Pi Node remains central to the network’s desktop-based participation model, in which users can contribute through node operations on laptops and desktops. Node operators should follow Step 2 instructions and finish the necessary update. Pi Node software is provided through the Pi Desktop application, and its latest release is version 0.5.4 on Windows, macOS, and Linux. At the same time, community discussion around Mainnet migration transparency and token movement from testnet to mainnet has continued. CNF previously reported that Pi Network introduced simulated USDT to its testnet wallet, giving users a safe way to try out stablecoin transactions without any real financial risk.  Most recently, Pi Network celebrated the first anniversary of its Open Network and outlined its future Mainnet priorities, which included AI tools, KYC growth, and ecosystem tokens. Pi Network’s Token Price Action Stays Below Key Resistance Pi Coin trades around $0.1690 at the time of writing, a little extension of a brief recovery following increased gains of over 3% in the last session. The action put the altcoin above the $0.1533 support level, though it was below the 50-day Exponential Moving Average around $0.1748. A technical breakdown shows that momentum readings are giving mixed conditions. The MACD has stayed slightly above its signal line while positive histogram bars have weakened, indicating slower upside movement than earlier in the rebound.

Source: TradingView

Should the breaks above the 50-day EMA, the next resistance level would be $0.1919, which is near a descending trendline from prior highs. On the downside, immediate support is $0.1533. Below that, the next key support zone is around $0.1300, where buying interest emerged earlier in February. In early January, Pi Network launched a free Product Design Workshop to help community members turn ideas into launch-ready Pi Apps through training in UX/UI, prototyping, testing, and release planning. The program is designed for developers and non-coders, with a focus on practical product design skills and integration with Pi ecosystem tools such as App Studio.