Pi Network to Unlock 134M Tokens in January Testing Market Stability

TLDR

Table of Contents

134M Pi tokens to unlock in January 2026 after smooth December test.
60M registered Pioneers and 19M verified users mark strong growth.
15.8M accounts migrated to mainnet as network expands app utility.
$100M Pi fund backs new apps and startups driving network adoption.

Pi Network will unlock 134 million PI tokens in January 2026, marking its largest scheduled supply release yet. The event follows a stable December unlock and comes as the network surpasses 60 million registered users and expands its ecosystem through new apps and developer funding.

January Unlock to Test Network Stability

The upcoming 134 million token unlock is expected to test the network’s capacity to manage liquidity and maintain stability. The event follows December’s smaller 8.7 million token release, which community moderators said passed without visible disruption.

According to official statements, December’s unlock was viewed as a “stress test” for the system. Developers noted that coordination between users, applications, and node operators helped the network handle the event smoothly. This coordination is now being cited as essential as Pi moves into a phase of larger, regular supply releases.

🚨Our next big test is January's 134M PI unlock. After the ecosystem stably absorbed December's 8.7M unlock, our focus on utility is crucial. With 215+ apps & a growing developer base, we're ready to build the demand to meet the supply🍾#PiNetwork #Web3 @fen_leng pic.twitter.com/aRVUwE6ppY
— PiNetwork DEX⚡️阿龙 (@fen_leng) January 1, 2026

Moderators explained that Pi Network’s focus has shifted away from speculation toward usage and app development. They emphasized that sustained activity within the network will be key to absorbing the new token supply.

Mainnet and Ecosystem Expansion

Throughout 2025, Pi Network implemented several technical upgrades that restored mainnet capacity to full performance after a short maintenance period. The improvements allowed transactions, payments, and node operations to resume normally.

The network also opened connectivity with external blockchains through the February 2025 Open Network launch. This transition allowed Pi apps to operate beyond the closed ecosystem for the first time. It marked a major step toward broader adoption, supporting growth in payments, utilities, and user-created applications.

By the end of 2025, over 15.8 million users had successfully migrated to the mainnet, while 19 million completed KYC verification. Developers launched Pi App Studio, enabling non-technical users to create and publish apps directly on the platform.

Growth in Apps and Developer Participation

Pi Network reported more than 215 operational mainnet applications at year-end. These range from payment platforms and games to community and data services. The network also saw a rise in AI-assisted and DeFi-focused app development as part of its ecosystem expansion.

To support this growth, the Pi Foundation introduced a $100 million ecosystem fund. The initiative aims to strengthen utility creation by investing in startups that develop practical solutions using PI tokens. Early beneficiaries included CiDi Games and OpenMind, both of which focus on interactive and educational applications.

Developers believe that growing app participation will help stabilize market activity and provide more real-world use cases for the Pi token.

Technical Infrastructure and Node Growth

Pi Network’s infrastructure also expanded during 2025, with over 350,000 testnet nodes now active globally. These nodes contribute to ledger integrity and enable distributed computing experiments.

The network’s roadmap includes further optimization of node software, faster synchronization, and enhanced support for third-party app integration. Developers stated that these changes aim to ensure scalability ahead of the January unlock and future token events.

As Pi Network continues to transition toward an open, utility-driven environment, community members see 2026 as a year that will measure how well the project balances growth and supply management.