Pi Network has officially announced that its Mainnet is upgrading to Protocol 21, with a hard deadline of April 6 for all node operators to complete the update. Any node that fails to upgrade in time will be disconnected from the network.
The Pi Core Team posted the announcement on X, directing node operators to follow the steps outlined in the official upgrade guide. The message was clear: this is not optional, and missing the deadline means losing your connection to the Mainnet entirely.
What the Upgrade Means
Protocol 21 is part of Pi Network’s ongoing series of node upgrades leading toward the much-anticipated v23.0 release scheduled for May 18. The sequential upgrade process is designed to ensure stability across the network, with each version building on the last before a more significant update rolls out.
Node operators play a central role in the Pi ecosystem. They validate transactions, maintain consensus, and keep the network running reliably. Missing a mandatory upgrade is not a minor inconvenience. It means falling out of sync with the rest of the network entirely.
The Community Is Frustrated
While the technical announcement was straightforward, the community reaction underneath it told a different story. Hundreds of Pioneers took the opportunity to voice long-running frustrations, many of them centred on a single issue: KYC.
User Baqeer wrote simply: “Since the launch of Pi, I am mining. Up to now they did not give me a KYC slot.” His comment resonated widely, with many others sharing similar experiences of waiting years for verification that never arrived.
Another user named shared that his KYC had been stuck for three years despite completing every item on his Mainnet checklist except one step that he says is not within his control.
“PCT, please kindly attend to these issues for us,” he wrote.
A Bigger Concern
Beyond the KYC frustration, some users raised a more existential question about the network’s direction. One commenter warned that if node participation continues to decline, the network could eventually consolidate into a small number of nodes, undermining the decentralisation Pi Network was built to achieve.
Pi Network has not publicly responded to the KYC complaints in the replies to the Protocol 21 announcement. For now, node operators have until April 6 to upgrade, while millions of ordinary Pioneers continue waiting for the verification that would allow them to access what they have spent years mining.
CoinPedia has been delivering accurate and timely cryptocurrency and blockchain updates since 2017. All content is created by our expert panel of analysts and journalists, following strict Editorial Guidelines based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Every article is fact-checked against reputable sources to ensure accuracy, transparency, and reliability. Our review policy guarantees unbiased evaluations when recommending exchanges, platforms, or tools. We strive to provide timely updates about everything crypto & blockchain, right from startups to industry majors.
All opinions and insights shared represent the author's own views on current market conditions. Please do your own research before making investment decisions. Neither the writer nor the publication assumes responsibility for your financial choices.
Sponsored content and affiliate links may appear on our site. Advertisements are marked clearly, and our editorial content remains entirely independent from our ad partners.
Story Highlights The PENGU price today is The token could hit $0.0338 in 2026 and…
Bonk price is back in the spotlight, but for all the wrong reasons. The Solana-based…
Story Highlights The live price of the Hyperliquid crypto is . The 2025 HYPE price…
While Bitcoin continues dominating headlines, XRP price is quietly developing one of the strongest accumulation…
Asian stock markets lost more than $700 billion in value during a broad sell-off led…
The Trump administration's plan to create a U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve has been delayed by…
