Pi Network was founded by Dr. Nicolas Kokkalis and Dr. Chengdiao Fan, who are the key leaders of the project. Dr. Nicolas Kokkalis, a PhD holder from Stanford University, is the Head of Technology, while Dr. Chengdiao Fan, also a Stanford PhD, is the Head of Product. Together, they have been developing and guiding the Pi Network since 2019.

The founders’ vision has attracted a massive global community, with over 50 million registered users, known as “Pioneers.” This community-driven approach has been a cornerstone of Pi Network’s growth and its ambition to become a recognized global currency.

Pi Network is on the brink of a significant milestone as it prepares to align with ISO 20022, a global financial messaging standard, on November 22, 2025. This transition is set to transform Pi Network into a recognized global currency, potentially revolutionizing the way digital currencies are integrated into the international financial system.

By aligning with ISO 20022, Pi Network gains compatibility with systems used by SWIFT, central banks, and international financial institutions. This move allows Pi to participate in mainstream financial operations, marking a shift from a community-driven cryptocurrency to a recognized global currency.

Pi Network will act as a bridge between decentralized finance (DeFi) and traditional financial systems. Its integration could pave the way for partnerships with payment processors, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and enterprise finance solutions.

The growing governmental interest in Pi, along with its ISO 20022 compliance, could lead to partial adoption by governments, further solidifying its position in the digital finance system.

By bridging the gap between DeFi and traditional finance, Pi Network aims to offer a new paradigm in digital payments and financial services, potentially revolutionizing the way people transact globally.

Difference between Pi and Stablecoins

Stablecoins

A “stablecoin” is a cryptocurrency whose value is designed to stay stable (often pegged to a fiat currency like 1 USD) by being backed by reserves or using algorithmic mechanisms.

Their main purpose is to enable crypto transactions, payments, and remittances with lower volatility than typical cryptocurrencies.

Pros: less price volatility, good for transactional use, clearer value reference.

Cons: You generally don’t expect major price appreciation; they rely on trust in issuer/reserve; regulatory risk exists.

Pi Network (PI)

Pi Network is a mobile‑first project where users can “mine” PI via their phone, with the aim of building a large community and eventually launching a fully tradable token with utility.

Important:

• The project is still developing many of its promised features (as of some of the reports) including open mainnet, trading/listing, confirmed large utility.
• Its value, utility, adoption are still uncertain so much of the “potential” is speculative.

Which is better for you?

If your goal is using crypto for payments or remittances and you want less risk of value dropping, a stablecoin is probably “better” for that purpose.

If your goal is speculative growth, you believe in the project of Pi Network, are comfortable with risk, then PI might offer higher upside but also higher chance of losing value or not meeting expectations.

In other words stablecoins are more about utility and less about big gains but Pi is more about potential future value and more uncertainty.

Key things to watch if you’re considering Pi now

Exchange listings & liquidity

Can you truly buy/sell PI on reputable platforms? Is the market open?

PI is available for trading on some smaller or mid‑tier exchanges. For example, it’s cited as being listed on platforms like OKX, Bitget and MEXC.

Market data shows PI is being traded in some markets around ~$0.26 in October 2025.

There are token‑unlock schedules, supply pressures, and trading volumes that are being reported for the PI ecosystem.

Real‑world use cases

Are there merchants/partners accepting PI? Are apps being built that add value?

The official site of Pi Core Team lists a “Partners” page claiming, “thousands of merchants and customers who are already transacting in Pi across 155 countries or regions globally”.

They have launched an “Ad Network” feature for the Pi ecosystem and the developers of Pi apps can earn revenue in PI coins via in‐app advertising. They have been running hackathons for developers to build apps for example, a ‘Commerce App’ prototype that connects local businesses and customers, enabling PI payments and loyalty programs.

The documentation claims local businesses in several countries (Vietnam, Nigeria, India, etc) are beginning to accept Pi for goods/services. For example: “local business transactions are accepted by many stores.”

The official “Partners” page also states “local commerce utility: Pi is used globally for local business transactions and accepted by many stores.”

During events such as PiFest 2025 (March 14‑21, 2025) they report thousands of merchants and millions of users participating in “Pi payments” via community apps/merchant listings.

Transparency & governance

As the network opens up, how decentralized and neutral is it? Are the team and community aligned?

Pi Network’s white paper describes a governance model that eventually envisions something like “liquid democracy” (where users can vote directly or delegate) and a “Constitutional Convention” that the Pioneer community (its users) will help form.

The project claims to engage the community via “Pioneers” (users) for feedback, votes, and app‑ecosystem participation. Some medium‑blog posts say the network emphasises “transparency, accountability, community involvement”.

The team has communicated more in recent months using blog posts, updates around mainnet migration, wallet features, KYC/identity policies. For example, there are articles noting increased communication frequency.

Tokenomics & supply

Since many early tokens may have been “mined” in the app, how is supply managed? How many tokens will be tradable?

• The total maximum supply is capped at 100 billion PI tokens.
• The allocations are generally described as:
• ~65% of the total supply (≈ 65 billion PI) for community mining/rewards.
• ~10% (≈ 10 billion) for the foundation or ecosystem reserve.
• ~5% (≈ 5 billion) for liquidity (to support trading/market operations).
• ~20% (≈ 20 billion) for the Core Team / development team.

Supply release (“unlocking”) is designed to be gradual and linked to migration of users into the mainnet. For example, one blog post from Pi Network explains that “Effective Total Supply” only grows in proportion to how many mining rewards have been migrated to the mainnet.

The mining/reward issuance model is described as decaying over time i.e., the reward rate per user decreases as network grows, helping to limit inflation.

Regulatory/legitimacy risk

Being mobile‑mined and community‑driven is good for inclusion, but raises questions for regulators and for value stability.

We believe Pi Network is a high‑risk, early‑stage project in the realm of regulation/legitimacy. It is not obviously fraudulent (i.e., there’s no confirmed blanket ban or proof of immediate scam) but many serious red‑flags exist:

• The regulatory picture is murky and evolving.
• The value proposition (token utility, tradability, adoption) is still in flux.
• The structure (referrals, centralisation, limited transparency) increases concern.
• The regulatory‑compliance burden (KYC, data privacy, financial‑services rules) may become a constraint rather than a facilitator.

If you choose to engage, it should be with awareness of the risk: treat it more like an experiment or speculative bet rather than a sure thing.

Should You Buy PI?

Consider buying PI if:

• If you believe in the long-term vision of Pi Network and are willing to accept the associated risks.
• Can you afford to invest funds that you are prepared to lose, given the speculative nature of the investment.
• Are yuo comfortable with the current market volatility and the project’s evolving regulatory status.

Caution is advised if:

• You require immediate liquidity or anticipate needing to access your investment in the short term.
• You are risk-averse or have concerns about the project’s long-term viability.
• You are uncertain about the project’s regulatory standing in your jurisdiction.

While the collaboration with SWIFT is promising, the actual impact on PI’s price will depend on how well Pi Network manages the increased token supply and stimulates demand. It’s essential to stay informed about developments in both areas to assess the token’s potential effectively.