Pi Network Protocol 28 will be launched on October 16, and node operators need to complete operation

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Pi Network main network upgrades to Protocol 28: Key dates and instructions

Pi Network is migrating its main network to Protocol 28. The Pi team has set the switch date as October 16, 2026, and node operators expect to complete software updates by October 13. If you just store your Pi in a Pi application, the answer to the question "What do you need to do?" is: Do nothing. Agreement changes will not affect balances, circulating supplies or mining processes within the application. In contrast, operators running their own nodes face clear calendar deadlines.

If you enter these two dates in the English search, you will mainly see price forecasts. This article does not provide price targets, but answers the question behind them: What does Protocol 28 include? Where did it come from? What is the actual status of the two Pi networks at present? And how to judge for yourself whether the switch has been completed on October 16?

Two dates of Protocol 28 and its application

In this context, a protocol refers to a set of rules that all computers on the network agree on the valid status of the ledger. The new protocol version changes these rules for each participant at the same time, so such switching requires a deadline and preparation period to be set for operators to change software.

In the Pi Network, this resulted in two dates targeted at completely different audiences. October 13 belongs to node operators: By then, the new version of the software should be running on their machines. October 16 belongs to the main network itself, the network that records the true Pi balance. Well-known industry media, including Analytics Insight, quoted the original announcement of the Pi team.

In this setting, a node is a computer that applies network rules itself and participates in consensus computing, rather than trusting other people's servers. It has nothing to do with mining in the Pi app: the app collects balances, and the node maintains the ledger. The vast majority of Pi owners fall into the first category of users, and for them, October 13 is not the day to take action.

The main network is in Protocol 27, and the test network is in 28: Status as of October 7

Pi publicly announced the status of its two networks, and the situation is clear. On Tuesday, the main network was running on Protocol 27, its software was stellar-core version 27.1.0, and the number of ledger entries was approximately 29.09 million. In contrast, testnet is already running Protocol 28 with version 28.0.1.

A ledger entry is a closed block of the ledger, similar to a cash ledger page that no longer changes. It is normal for the Pi network to be two steps ahead of the main network, and it also proves that the upgrade is carried out in stages: first on the practical network, and then on the network that handles the real balance. If you want to check it yourself, the public network status of the Pi Network is available at any time; the value of current_protocol_version is the key number.

At this point, it can be confirmed that as of October 7, the switching of the main network has not occurred. What is expected to happen before October 16 is that the number jumps from 27 to 28.

Contents of Protocol 28: CAP-83, CAP-85 and CAP-86

Protocol 28 is not original to Pi. It originates from the technical foundation built by Pi. The CAP (core advancement proposal) is a single numbered change proposal to the rule book; the agreement version packages multiple proposals into a whole. Protocol 28 contains three elements:

CAP-83 involves consensus, the process by which the validator reaches agreement on the next valid state. Before then, they must wait for the complete transaction set. In the future, they can process parts of the program before all data arrives and selectively discard late or invalid data sets. This is designed to address transmission delays, not costs.
CAP-85 brings atomic contract upgrades. Currently, users running many instances of the same smart contract must replace them one by one. In the future, these contracts could point to external supervisor files and by exchanging that single reference, all involved contracts would be upgraded to new code in an integral step.
CAP-86 makes contract data migration easier. The new feature is able to handle missing or extra fields rather than aborting operations. For developers, this means that the application's data structure can grow with it without destroying existing functionality.

有一点值得注意：采用这些功能是自愿的。现有应用程序将继续按原样运行；只有当开发者将其内置时，它们才能获得新功能。

作为基础的 Stellar-core：为何 Pi 主网落后两代

Pi Network 运行在 stellar-core 之上，这是 Stellar 背后的软件。这解释了 Protocol 28 的编号和内容，因为 Pi 采用了其模型的开发滞后性。

这种滞后程度是可以量化的。公共 Stellar 网络现在运行在 Protocol 29，软件版本为 29.0.0。Pi 主网仍处于 27。因此，Pi 比原始网络落后两个协议代次，即使 10 月 16 日宣布的跃升至 28 也仅填补了一半的差距。

Stellar 本身于 9 月 16 日激活了 Protocol 28。当时触及 XLM 持有者的内容及其真正重要的要点，我们已在关于 Stellar 升级后的文章中详细分析过。对于 Pi 持有者来说，这是最好的预览：相同的三个变更在那裡已经上线近一个月。

节点运营商与 10 月 13 日：Docker 镜像、共识与连接丢失

对于节点运营商而言，新版本自 10 月 6 日起已作为 Docker 镜像提供，即无需自行安装即可启动的预打包软件包。因此，到 10 月 13 日的一周是切换的时间窗口。

What happens if someone misses the deadline? Nodes that use outdated software will not be able to use the same "language" as other networks after switching. It will lose connection and no longer participate in consensus until it is updated. Balances are not lost during this process because they are located in the online ledger rather than on individual machines. What is missing is the role the machine plays in the network.

This model is not limited to Pi. In any network where its rules are versioned, outdated versions will eventually be out of maintenance and operators must follow suit. Anyone running a Pi node knows the process of the first two switches.

Pi in app: Mining, circulating supply and token economics remain unchanged

For most Pi holders, the most important news is "no news." This upgrade will not change the circulation supply, nor will it change the economics of tokens or mining within the application. No new tokens will be issued, no redemption will be made, and no migration will be required. People who hold a certain amount of Pi on October 15 will still hold the same amount of Pi on October 17.

However, there is still a practical limitation. Regarding agreement changes, trading platforms usually temporarily suspend the deposit and withdrawal of certain coins to avoid leaving unfinished transfers during the switch. This is a routine operation, not a warning sign, but if you plan to withdraw money at that time, it may cause inconvenience. Such pauses usually last for several hours; they are announced individually for each platform and often have short notice periods. If you want to move funds during the week of October 16, it's best to do so before or after.

Preliminary preparations: Protocol 26 on August 11 and Protocol 27 on September 15

Pi's operating procedures are very proficient and can be traced back through two dates this year. For Protocol 26, the node operator deadline expires on August 11. Our analysis of Protocol 26 and affected nodes on August 14 showed that the number of machines involved at the time was much less than the circulated figure of 421,000. Protocol 27 was subsequently followed up on September 15. When we checked on September 2, the main network was still at 26, while the first test network was at 27; this situation and every protocol jump in the previous few months are covered in our article on switching to Protocol 27. The fact that Mainnet is indeed running 27 today shows that this date is being respected.

Observe these two switches side by side, and the rhythm becomes clear. The interval between switches is about a month, and before each main network change, there is a test network that already carries the new version number. This is where Pi is currently in.

Announced dates, not guaranteed dates: How to identify handovers on October 16

Despite the above general process, there is one background information that needs to be mentioned. Both dates come from announcements from the Pi team, as restated by well-known industry media. Therefore, what is on record is the announcement itself. Implementation will only be confirmed on the same day.

But that doesn't mean waiting for the press release. The protocol level of the main network is publicly available online and is the only number that determines the switch. If the value there jumps from 27 to 28, Protocol 28 is already online on the main network. If it still shows as 27 on October 17, the date has been postponed, no matter what reports elsewhere. For holders, this delay remains unchanged; for node operators, it simply means that the point in time at which the new version must run has shifted.

Where Pi can be traded: Exchanges, MiCA Licensing and In-App Custody

Pi is traded on multiple international trading platforms. For you, one issue is more important than the rate issue: whether the provider complies with the authorization of the European crypto regulator MiCA. Authorization means fixed custody obligations, complaint channels and own funding requirements, which will make a difference if problems arise in the future. Which providers have this authorization are listed in our comparison of controlled crypto exchanges.

The second point involves trusteeship. Pi in the Pi app hangs on a 24-word mnemonic that you only hold. If lost, access will disappear, and neither the Pi team nor the protocol upgrade will change this. Protocol changes are a good time to check the integrity and safe storage of these words. Which storage form is appropriate and the differences between solutions are shown in the software wallet comparison.

Taxation of Pi: Article 23 of the EsstG, one-year period and agreement changes

In Germany, the proceeds of the sale of cryptocurrency assets are private disposal transactions under Article 23 of the Income Tax Act (EsstG). Those who hold it for more than one year and sell it will not be subject to income tax; those who sell it within one year are taxable, provided that the total amount of all private disposal transactions for that year exceeds the applicable tax exemption threshold.

The answer to the upgrade itself is clear. Switching to Protocol 28 will not create new tokens and no assets change hands. Therefore, there are no events that need to be treated as disposal, and the one-year holding period of your existing Pi continues to run unchanged. This is different from forking, which adds extra coins to the portfolio.

Currently, the holding period has changed elsewhere: the Bundestag Petition Committee will discuss the matter in a public meeting on October 12. We documented it in our article on the hearing on the cryptocurrency holding period. For those holding older positions, it's worth paying attention, as the rule change will affect all coins.