Tap-to-earn mobile mining network Pi Network is now just one day away from another major network upgrade. However, mainnet node operators must complete the Protocol 26 upgrade by 11 August or risk losing network connectivity.
Ahead of the upgrade, the PI token is showing signs of recovery as it rose more than 12% over the past week.
Pi Network teams have already announced that all Pi Mainnet node operators must complete the Protocol 26 upgrade by Aug. 11, 2026, or their nodes will lose Mainnet connectivity until the update is completed.
The deadline is aimed at keeping the network on the same protocol version and maintaining a smooth transition.
This is important to separate from regular Pi mining. Pioneers who only use the Pi mining app do not need to upgrade a node. The deadline mainly affects users running Mainnet infrastructure.
Pi has also said recent protocol upgrades are part of a wider effort to bring its blockchain up to date with newer protocol features.
For example, Protocol 25 added BN254 cryptography and Poseidon hashing to support more privacy focused applications and zero knowledge use cases.
Protocol 26 is more than a routine software update. It continues the network’s rapid move through newer protocol versions and is described as the first of two remaining upgrades, with Protocol 27 expected to follow.
The upgrade focuses on areas such as,
Earlier this year, Pi introduced an RPC server on Testnet to help developers build and test smart contracts. The network has also been testing Launchpad features and ecosystem tokens before a possible Mainnet rollout.
PI token has surged around 12% over one week, helped by expectations around the upgrade and new ecosystem developments. The token reached a local high near $0.096 before giving back some gains.
As of now, PI is trading near $0.0889, down about 1.45%, with its market cap below $1 billion.
The next major level traders are watching is $0.10. A clean move above that level could open the way toward $0.11, while failure to hold current levels could keep the token under pressure.
Another challenge is supply. Around 128 million PI are expected to unlock during August, followed by about 132.7 million PI in September, which could add selling pressure even if the network completes the upgrade smoothly.
For now, the 11 August deadline for Pi’s node operators is crucial.
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