Pi Network Upgrades Mainnet to Protocol 20, Enabling Smart Contracts

Pi Network completed a significant blockchain upgrade. All major Pi nodes now run version 20.2. Protocol 20 is live on the Pi Mainnet.

The Pi Core Team confirmed the development on X. According to Core Team on X, the Mainnet blockchain upgrade to Protocol 20 is complete. They stated the new protocol "provides the foundation to enable smart contract capabilities."

Smart contract rollout will happen in phases. Subscription-type contracts get priority. Escrow and NFT-related contracts follow after external audits clear.

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Pi Launchpad Goes Live on Testnet First

Pi Network released the Pi Launchpad MVP on Testnet on Pi Day 2026. Projects using the Launchpad must have working applications before launch. Tokens are tools for user acquisition, not capital raising vehicles.

Pi proceeds from token launches flow into liquidity pools. This directly supports the Pi DEX activity on Testnet. It filters out speculative, low-utility tokens from the exchange environment.

The Pi Core Team confirmed via the Pi Day 2026 blog that Launchpad design may iterate quickly during testing. Mainnet launch version will stabilize after this Testnet phase.

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KYC validator rewards are also releasing now. Pi Network distributed rewards to 1,094,680 human validators. The calculation covers 526,970,631 successful validations.

16.5 Million Pioneers Migrated; Validators Finally Get Paid

The reward pool held 16,568,774 Pi at snapshot. Pi Foundation added 10 million Pi to supplement the first round. Final price per validation came out to 0.0504179 Pi, which is 21 times the current base mining rate.

Validators must have completed at least 50 validations by March 5, 2026. Payment transfers directly to Mainnet Pi Wallets. The full validator breakdown is visible inside the KYC app dashboard.

Second migrations have also started rolling out. Pioneers who already completed first migrations may now qualify for a second. Two-factor authentication setup remains mandatory before any migration proceeds.

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Kraken has integrated Pi support following Pi's KYB verification process. Centralized exchange access widens Pi's external reach. Third-party services that pass verification may connect with Pi Network infrastructure.

Pi App Studio now supports live Mainnet app transitions. Four apps have already been invited to move from Testnet to Mainnet. In-app Pi payments now persist across multiple user sessions, not just a single session.

The Pi ecosystem currently holds over 17.7 million KYC-verified Pioneers on Mainnet. App creators reach this base directly through App Studio. Real Pi transactions are now possible inside AI-assisted apps built by non-technical creators.

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Pi Day 2026 also introduced a utilities challenge for Pioneers. Completing the checklist earns a Pi Day badge visible on Pi Chats and Pi Social Profiles. The Open Network Anniversary raffle closed at 11:59 PM PST on March 14, with 150 winners to be selected.