Pi Network (PI) is a mobile-first cryptocurrency project that allows users to mine coins using their smartphones rather than expensive, energy-intensive mining hardware. Built to be inclusive and eco-conscious, Pi Network seeks to democratise access to digital assets by removing the technical and financial barriers that have traditionally limited participation in cryptocurrency mining.
The core goal of Pi Network is to foster a decentralised, peer-to-peer digital economy supported by a broad user base—many of whom may be accessing cryptocurrency for the first time. Its unique feature is its ability to mine coins through social trust circles on mobile devices, offering a low-energy alternative to traditional mining protocols.
By addressing the issue of mining centralisation and high entry costs, Pi Network is especially relevant in emerging markets and underbanked regions where smartphone usage is high, but access to traditional financial infrastructure is limited.
Pi Network is powered by its own dedicated blockchain, which moved from testnet to a restricted mainnet phase in late 2021. Unlike Bitcoin or Ethereum, which use energy-heavy Proof of Work, Pi Network relies on the Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP)—a federated Byzantine agreement (FBA) system. This allows everyday users to validate transactions based on social trust, rather than computational power.
Key technologies include:
Pi Network is designed to support real-world applications that are especially valuable in mobile-first economies. Its use cases align well with regions where digital infrastructure is developing rapidly but traditional banking remains out of reach.
While Pi Network has yet to announce high-profile corporate partnerships, its ecosystem continues to grow through grassroots collaborations with independent developers and merchants who accept PI as payment.
Founded in 2019 by Stanford PhDs Dr. Nicolas Kokkalis, Dr. Chengdiao Fan, and Vincent McPhillip, Pi Network was built with a social computing approach that combines user trust and accessibility. The project quickly gained traction with a mobile app that simulates mining, reaching over 10 million users within its first year.
Originally a simple mobile mining experiment, Pi Network has matured into a full blockchain project with smart contract capabilities and developer tools. Its slow and controlled mainnet rollout is designed to balance decentralisation with security, particularly in regions where digital trust systems are still developing.