Pi Network Launches Testnet 25 Ahead of January 22 Mainnet Upgrade Vote

TLDR

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Testnet 25 is now live and supports Rust smart contracts and network security upgrades.
15.8 million users have migrated to the Pi mainnet with 17.5 million KYC completed.
A mainnet vote is scheduled for January 22 at 17:00 UTC for protocol changes.
Pi Network has launched an in-app news feed for verified ecosystem updates.

Pi Network has activated Testnet 25 today, January 7, at 21:00 UTC. This move prepares the platform for its upcoming January 22 mainnet upgrade vote. The update includes Rust-based smart contract support and other core system enhancements aimed at future scalability and app development.

Testnet 25 Now Active With Rust Smart Contract Support

Pi Network activated Testnet 25 on January 7 at 21:00 UTC. This is part of a broader strategy to prepare for a major vote scheduled for January 22, 2026. According to the Pi Core Team and community posts, the upgrade builds on Protocol 23 and is designed to support future development in smart contracts, ecosystem tools, and on-chain features.

🚨#PiNetwork has officially launched a news feed featuring news from officially recognized third-party news outlets, which indirectly confirms Pi Network's development plans for 2025.🗞 pic.twitter.com/P72mebPTMm
— PiNetwork DEX⚡️阿龙 (@fen_leng) January 6, 2026

The upgrade brings Rust-based smart contract integration to the network. This marks a move toward broader Web3 support and scalable development. Developers are expected to use this environment to build and test new decentralized apps. The testnet upgrade helps simulate mainnet behavior and identify issues before final deployment.

Mainnet Vote Scheduled for January 22

Pi Network’s next major step will be the community vote on January 22 at 17:00 UTC. Pioneers will decide whether the changes tested in Testnet 25 should be moved to the live mainnet. This vote is considered a technical milestone rather than a launch event. The network remains in its Open Network phase.

Voting is expected to be carried out within the Pi app ecosystem. The project’s mainnet still has limited functionality. External wallet transfers are still restricted, and node access has not been granted to all users. Pi Network remains focused on internal testing and community-based rollout.

Security Measures and Community Metrics

The Pi Core Team has emphasized security during this stage. It has warned users against unofficial sources and urged them to rely only on its official X account and the Pi Safety Center. This move comes amid increased attention on phishing and scam attempts.

As of this week, about 15.8 million users have migrated to the Pi mainnet. Around 17.5 million Pioneers have completed the KYC process. According to community data, more than 215 decentralized applications have been developed on the platform, many of which originated from Pi hackathons held in 2025.

Additionally, January will see the unlocking of approximately 134 million PI tokens. This will allow more utility testing as token movements remain largely internal due to current restrictions.

New In-App News Feed for Verified Updates

Alongside Testnet 25, Pi Network has introduced an in-app news feed to provide users with verified updates. This feature includes reports from third-party media outlets and official announcements. The goal is to improve transparency and reduce misinformation.

The news feed is available directly within the Pi app. It shows Pi’s growing presence in both crypto and mainstream coverage. Over the past year, media reports have followed the network’s open phase launch, ecosystem growth, and developer initiatives.

The feed also aims to reduce reliance on external sources, providing users with a central location for trustworthy news about network developments.