Pi Network Sets May 11 Launch Date for Protocol 23 Smart Contract Upgrade

May 2, 2026

Pi Network announces May 11, 2026 as the activation date for Protocol 23, moving the launch one week earlier from May 18 to introduce full smart contract functionality to its blockchain. The upgrade enables developers to build decentralized exchanges, lending protocols, and tokenized assets on Pi's network of 421,000 active Mainnet nodes and over 10 billion PI tokens with a $1.73 billion market cap. Protocol 23 follows the April 27 completion of Protocol 22, which removed non-compliant nodes and upgraded to Stellar Core 22. The launch occurs four days after Pi co-founders Dr. Chengdiao Fan and Nicolas Kokkalis speak at Consensus 2026 in Miami on May 6-7, where Pi is an official sponsor, positioning the network against proof-of-personhood competitors like Worldcoin and Humanity Protocol.

Protocol 23 upgrade timeline and technical capabilities

▪Pi Network Protocol 23 unlocks decentralised applications, token launches via the Pi Launchpad, a native decentralised exchange, and real-world asset tokenisation.
▪Pi Network Protocol 23 enables developers to write and deploy programmable contracts directly on Pi's Mainnet.
▪Pi Network Protocol 22 was completed on April 27, 2026.
▪Pi Network Protocol 22 moved the network to Stellar Core 22 under software version 0.5.4.
▪Pi Network set May 11, 2026 as the activation date for Protocol 23.
▪Pi Network Protocol 23 was moved one week earlier from the previously announced May 18 date to May 11.
▪Pi Network Protocol 23 enables developers to build decentralised exchanges, lending protocols, automated tools, and tokenised asset products on Pi for the first time.
▪Pi Network Protocol 23 introduces full smart contract functionality to the Pi blockchain.
▪Pi Network Protocol 22 removed all non-compliant nodes that had failed to upgrade.

Strategic positioning at Consensus 2026 conference

▪Pi Network co-founders Dr. Chengdiao Fan and Nicolas Kokkalis are scheduled to speak at Consensus 2026 in Miami.
▪Pi Network is an official sponsor of Consensus 2026.
▪Dr. Chengdiao Fan is speaking on May 6, 2026 at Consensus 2026 on aligning Web3, AI, and blockchain for utility.
▪Nicolas Kokkalis is joining a May 7, 2026 panel at Consensus 2026 titled "How to Prove You're Human in an AI World (Without Doxing Yourself)."
▪Pi Network Protocol 23 activation on May 11 occurs four days after the Pi Network co-founders' Consensus 2026 appearances on May 6 and 7.

Network infrastructure and market metrics

▪Pi Network has 421,000 active Mainnet nodes as of late April 2026.
▪Pi Network has over 10 billion PI migrated to Mainnet as of late April 2026.
▪Pi Network has a market cap of approximately $1.73 billion as of late April 2026.

Perspective of Pi Network developers and DeFi builders

▪Pi Network's over 10 billion PI migrated to Mainnet offers developers a substantial token base for DeFi applications.
▪Pi Network's 421,000 active Mainnet nodes provide developers with an existing infrastructure for deploying smart contracts.