Introduction: What is Pi Network? Why it’s attracting attention and what you’ll learn from this article
Pi Network has a large number of users worldwide due to the ease with which it can be “mined on a smartphone.” You may have heard of it before. However, regarding its actual state and future potential, various pieces of information are circulating, and many people may find it difficult to understand. In this article, we will objectively and clearly explain the points that you, as a business person, should know, from the basic mechanism of Pi Network to the latest development, “Pi Network Venture,” and the issue of “transparency” that is currently being actively discussed within the community. By reading this article, you should gain insight into Pi Network’s current position and what is needed for its healthy development.
What is Pi Network Venture, Pi Network’s New Initiative?
In May 2025, Pi Network announced the establishment of “Pi Network Venture” with the aim of developing its ecosystem. What kind of initiative is this, and what potential impact could it have on the future of Pi Network? Here, based on officially announced information, let’s look at its overview, expected role, and market reaction.
Purpose and Overview of Pi Network Venture
- It is an investment fund aimed at improving Pi’s utility and expanding the ecosystem.
- The investment scale is said to be approximately 100 million dollars (Pi tokens and US dollars).
- The targets are startups in a wide range of fields, including not only Web3 but also FinTech, AI, and E-commerce.
Operating Entity and Strategy
- The Pi Foundation (described as an ownerless organization) is responsible for its operation.
- It seems to aim to discover and support promising projects with an approach similar to Silicon Valley venture capitalists.
Market Reaction and Expected Effects
- As benefits to the community, expansion of Pi’s usage methods and strengthening of the ecosystem are expected.
- On the other hand, this announcement was somewhat anticlimactic for some users who were expecting the full-scale operation of the ecosystem and the progress of the open mainnet, and along with voices of disappointment, a decline in the price of Pi tokens was also observed. It’s not uncommon for such gaps between expectation and reality to arise with new technologies and projects.
Serious Concerns about “Transparency” Erupting from the Community
While showing new developments, Pi Network is facing harsh scrutiny from the community and analysts regarding its operating style, particularly “transparency.” Voices like that of DR Altcoin (pseudonym) mentioned in the background information may be just the tip of the iceberg, and many users seem to have doubts about the project’s soundness. What exactly is being criticized?
Suspicious Eyes: Possible Token Sales by the Core Team?
One of the most serious concerns is the alleged large-scale sale of Pi tokens by individuals associated with the Pi Core Team (the operating team). Some analysts and community members point to blockchain transaction data (on-chain data) as evidence, suggesting that the team may be selling their held tokens on the market without disclosing information.
If this were true, it would be an act that would significantly damage the community’s trust. For example, how would you feel if the management of a company you support secretly sold a large amount of their own stock without informing shareholders or the market? The same kind of suspicion is being directed at Pi Network. (Note that while specific wallet addresses and detailed transaction flows, as mentioned in the background information, have been pointed out, it is extremely difficult for external parties to fully verify each of them. Here, we will only state the fact that such “allegations are being made.”)
Lack of Information Disclosure: What Isn’t Being Said?
There are also constant criticisms that the information disclosure regarding the fundamental aspects of the Pi Network project is insufficient, such as the following:
- Governance Structure: Who makes decisions for the project and how?
- Tokenomics: The total supply of Pi tokens, distribution plan, allocation to the team and early investors, status of lock-ups (sale restriction periods), and the specific mechanism for burning (reducing supply through destruction).
- Security Audits: Has the system’s safety been verified by a third-party organization?
Without clear basic information like this, users and potential investors cannot properly assess the project’s risks. Furthermore, there is a view that this lack of transparency may be influencing the reason why Pi tokens are not being listed on major centralized exchanges (CEXs) like Binance and Coinbase.
KYC Issues and User Assets in Limbo
What is further troubling users is the issue with the KYC (Know Your Customer: identity verification) process. Due to prolonged delays and deficiencies in the process, many users report being unable to access the Pi tokens they supposedly mined themselves, remaining in a state of being “in limbo.” “I tapped diligently every day, but when will I be able to touch my Pi?” Such earnest voices from users are a major factor shaking trust in the project.
Why is “Transparency” Indispensable for Cryptocurrency Projects?
The word “transparency” is often heard in business settings, but why is it so heavily emphasized, especially in projects within new technology areas like cryptocurrency and blockchain? Let’s consider the fundamental reasons through the example of Pi Network. This is a very important perspective for business people interested in new technology trends to discern the soundness of a project.
The Foundation of Trust: From the Perspective of Investor and User Protection
First and foremost, transparent information disclosure is a prerequisite for investors and users to correctly evaluate the risks and potential of a project. The clearer the project’s objectives, technical mechanisms, flow of funds, composition and policies of the operating team, the more confidently participants can engage. Conversely, if information is hidden or ambiguous, it creates suspicion like “Is there something inconvenient?” and hinders healthy fundraising and user acquisition. In a company, this is the same idea as making the management situation open to shareholders through IR (Investor Relations) activities.
Furthermore, the more open the flow of funds and operating policies are, the more it can be expected to have the effect of reducing the risk of fraudulent activities and unfair market manipulation. Fraud is difficult to carry out when everything is visible to everyone.
Collaboration with the Community: The Vision of Decentralized Projects
Many blockchain projects, especially those that advocate for being “decentralized” like Pi Network, aim to be operated and developed autonomously through the participation and cooperation of community members, rather than being controlled entirely by a specific centralized administrator. This is a new form of value creation, different from traditional top-down organizations.
For such a decentralized mechanism to truly function, a transparent information sharing system is essential, allowing community members to accurately grasp the project’s current status, challenges, and future direction, and to participate in the decision-making process. To foster a sense of ownership, where users feel “this is our project,” and to encourage active contributions, the operating side is required to proactively disclose information and engage in dialogue.
What Pi Network Needs to Do to Regain Trust and Develop Healthily
How should the Pi Network operation (Core Team) address the various concerns erupting from the community and rebuild the trust that may be being lost? For the project to succeed in the long term and realize its grand vision, concrete actions are needed, not just words.
Proactive and Specific Information Disclosure
First and foremost, thorough information disclosure is necessary. Specifically, the transparency of the following items should be increased:
- Detailed Tokenomics: Disclose the exact total supply of Pi tokens, current circulating supply, the amount held by the team and foundation and its intended use, lock-up periods, and the plan and results of burning (destruction), in a way that can be verified by anyone.
- Operating Team and Governance: Clearly define the composition of the Core Team members, their respective roles and responsibilities, and the process for important project decisions.
- Development Roadmap and Progress: Show a concrete roadmap outlining what developments will be made in the future and when certain features will be released, and report on the progress regularly.
- Sincere Explanation Regarding Allegations: Especially regarding allegations of token sales pointed out by the community, fulfill the responsibility to explain based on data sincerely, so as not to invite speculation.
Establishing Constructive Dialogue Channels with the Community
In addition to one-sided information dissemination, it is also important to revitalize two-way communication with the community.
- Regularly hold Q&A sessions like AMA (Ask Me Anything) to directly answer questions and concerns from the community.
- Actively collect constructive feedback on official forums and social media, and show a willingness to utilize it for project improvement.
The feeling that “user voices are being heard” leads to the restoration of community trust.
Fulfilling Promises and Improving User Experience
And most importantly, it is to “steadily execute what has been promised.”
- The stable and full-scale operation of the open mainnet, which has been long awaited.
- Prompt and fair resolution of KYC issues and the establishment of an environment where users can smoothly access their own assets.
- Concrete construction and expansion of a practical DApp (decentralized application) ecosystem, i.e., places and services where Pi tokens can actually be used.
Providing concrete value and a good experience that makes users genuinely feel “I’m glad I got involved with Pi Network” will be the best measure for restoring trust.
[Reference] Lessons to Learn from Projects Other Than Pi Network
In the background information (transcription of the YouTube video), there were mentions of other cryptocurrency projects besides Pi Network, such as Ruby Coin and BTB. While these are not directly related to the evaluation of Pi Network, they may be insightful for business people who are always keeping an eye on new technologies and investment opportunities.
Risk Management Perspective: Not Sticking to Just One Project
Especially in new technology fields like cryptocurrency, unfortunately, not all projects succeed. Even if they seem to hold great potential, they can fail due to various factors such as technical challenges, changes in the market environment, and operational problems. Therefore, it is important to not overly believe in the future potential of a specific project and rely solely on one source of information, but to learn from multiple sources and always maintain a calm perspective for comparison and evaluation. This is a basic risk management principle that is also common to investments in other financial products such as stocks.
Be Cautious of “Sweet Deals” Like Airdrops
In the background information, there was also talk of an airdrop (an event where tokens are distributed for free to users who meet certain conditions) for a project called BTB. Airdrops can be an opportunity to learn about new projects and, if you’re lucky, potentially acquire tokens that will have value in the future early on, which may seem attractive.
However, caution is also necessary. Unfortunately, there are also scam projects whose purpose is to improperly collect personal information (email addresses, social media accounts, and sometimes even identification documents) or that simply distribute worthless tokens. Instead of participating casually just because it’s “free,” the literacy to carefully assess the reliability of the project (information on the official website, the track record of the development team, the reputation of the community, etc.) is required. You should be particularly cautious about providing email addresses used for business or important personal information.
Conclusion: Pi Network’s Future Depends on “Trust” – The Perspective We Should Hold
While Pi Network shows positive movements aimed at expanding the ecosystem and improving utility through new initiatives like “Pi Network Venture,” it is also being confronted with the fundamental issue of “transparency” by the community regarding its operation. As we have seen in detail in this article, it is no exaggeration to say that its future largely depends on how the Core Team responds to these sincere voices and rebuilds trust with users.
Pi Network’s current state is precisely one where expectations and concerns are mixed. It attracted many people with its innovative approach of being “easy on a smartphone,” but for the project to move to the next stage, not only technical progress but also operational transparency, accountability, and above all, trust from users are indispensable.
As business people interested in new technologies and trends, the perspective we should hold is to not blindly accept information, but to consider it from multiple angles and cultivate the ability to calmly discern the soundness and risks of a project. Regarding Pi Network as well, it is important to refer to various sources of information, including not only official announcements but also community voices and third-party analyses, and make your own judgment. And if you do get involved, don’t forget the basic principle of risk management: only participate to an extent that losing it would not affect your life.
The key points to watch in the future are how specific and sincere information disclosure and responses are made by the Pi Network operation regarding the concerns raised so far, and whether constructive dialogue with the community makes substantial progress. For Pi Network to truly become a “cryptocurrency for everyone,” it needs to overcome this hurdle of “trust.” Let’s calmly observe its developments.