Pi Network Prepares for January 134M Token Unlock After Stability

Pi Network is preparing for a major supply event in January. With a scheduled unlock of 134 million PI tokens. The update comes after the ecosystem absorbed a smaller 8.7 million token unlock in December without visible disruption, according to community posts. Developers and community moderators say the next phase will test whether utility growth can keep pace with rising token supply. They point to progress made throughout 2025 as a key buffer against volatility.

January Unlock Follows a Calm December Test

The upcoming January unlock is significantly larger than the December release. Community members have described it as the next “stress test” for the ecosystem. December’s 8.7 million token unlock passed with limited friction. Which supporters say reflects better coordination between apps, users and infrastructure.

Moderators emphasized that the network’s focus has shifted away from short-term speculation. Instead, they highlighted usage, payments and app-level activity as the main drivers needed to absorb new supply. At the same time, Pi Network confirmed that mainnet transactions, payments and node operations have returned to full capacity after a brief partial pause. The restoration followed technical and institutional updates applied at year-end.

2025 Marked the Shift to an Open Network

The January unlock follows a year of structural change. In February 2025, Pi Network launched its Open Network, enabling external connectivity after years of closed development. That move allowed Pi apps and services to interact with the broader blockchain ecosystem for the first time. Since then, the network expanded across several areas. These included AI-focused tooling, faster KYC processes, node upgrades and broader app participation. 

By year-end, more than 17.5 million users had fully passed KYC. While roughly 15.8 million accounts migrated to the mainnet. Developers also introduced Pi App Studio, which enabled non-technical creators to build and publish apps. Tens of thousands of apps were created during the year, according to official summaries.

Utility Growth Remains the Key Variable

As Pi token supply rises, utility remains the central question. The network reported more than 215 completed mainnet apps by the end of 2025. These span payments, gaming, directories and experimental DeFi tools currently running in test environments. Pi Network also launched a $100 million ecosystem investment initiative through the Pi Foundation. The fund aims to support startups that build practical use cases tied to the network. Early investments focused on robotics software and gaming platforms. In parallel, node infrastructure expanded. Over 350,000 testnet nodes now operate globally. That supports ledger security and early experiments in decentralized computing.

Looking Ahead to 2026

With the January unlock approaching, attention is turning to how demand develops in early 2026. Community figures say the goal is steady progress rather than price-focused momentum. Pi Network stated that 2026 will center on deeper utility, more integrations and continued ecosystem building. Whether those efforts can offset the impact of a 134 million token unlock will soon become clear.