Pi Network’s 2025 Launch Sparks Wild Volatility - Can the ’People’s Crypto’ Survive the Storm?

After years of anticipation, Pi Network finally opened its mainnet gates in 2025—and the market promptly lost its mind. The project that promised to 'democratize' crypto is now giving its massive user base a masterclass in volatility.

The Hype Meets Reality

Pi's transition from closed network to open trading unleashed pent-up demand—and chaos. Early adopters who mined tokens for years watched valuations swing wildly, turning paper gains into a rollercoaster ride. The project's unique mobile-first approach built a community of millions, but the market cares little for sentiment when liquidity hits.

Anatomy of a Volatile Launch

Launch volatility isn't new—every major crypto debut faces it—but Pi's scale magnified everything. Without established price discovery during its enclosed phase, the market had to guess fair value. The result? Whiplash-inducing moves that left traders scrambling and true believers questioning their diamond hands.

The Infrastructure Test

Mass adoption sounds great until millions try to transact simultaneously. Network congestion, exchange listing delays, and scaling challenges emerged immediately. Pi's team is racing to stabilize the ship while maintaining their vision of accessible crypto—a tough balance when the waters are this rough.

What's Next for Pi?

The volatility will subside—it always does—but what remains matters. Can Pi build real utility beyond the speculative frenzy? Will its community-driven model foster genuine adoption or just become another token for traders to pump and dump between coffee breaks? The network's long-term viability depends on answering these questions while navigating the short-term storm.

One cynical finance veteran noted: 'They taught millions to mine crypto with a phone button—now they're teaching them about drawdowns. Most expensive financial education ever.'

Pi's 2025 launch proves one universal crypto truth: no project, however well-intentioned, gets a free pass from market forces. The 'people's crypto' now faces its people's test—and the grade is still being written.

Pi Network 2025: The End of Waiting and A New Era

By the end of 2024 and early 2025, the Pi Network community had grown weary of the constant postponement of the mainnet. With the Open Network going live on February 19, 2025, the PI token began trading on major exchanges such as Bitget, OKX, and MEXC. Post-launch excitement grew rapidly; the team extended the timeframe for KYC, revitalized PiFest, and announced the .pi domain initiative. March saw the celebrations of Pi Day 2025, adding to the positive atmosphere.

Following this, the announcement of the PI Ad Network Expansion opened the ecosystem to all registered applications. In May, rumors of expanded wallet activations and a Binance listing sparked renewed excitement in the community. However, these rumors did not materialize. Instead, the team redirected focus to entrepreneurial investments by announcing a $100 million Pi Network Ventures fund. During summer, the first mainnet hackathon took place, along with Pi2Day events and the introduction of Pi App Studio into the artificial intelligence field.

PI Price Performance and Market Realities

Shortly after listing on exchanges, the PI token reached an all-time high of $2.99 at the end of February. However, this increase was not sustained as the token entered a prolonged downward trend. By early October, the price hit a historical low of $0.172, a decline of about 95% from its peak. Currently holding slightly above $0.20, PI trades 92-93% below its peak value.

The price experienced temporary jumps only during significant announcements. In May, PI climbed above $1.70 amid Binance rumors, but these were unfounded, leading to a sharper decline. Despite this, some analysts view the maintenance of the $0.20 support as a positive signal. Similarly, another project, SEI Network, launched its mainnet in 2025 and recovered after an initial drop through ecosystem investments, suggesting a possible scenario for Pi Network.

In conclusion, although Pi Network has taken substantial steps both technically and in its ecosystem, its price performance has fallen well short of expectations. The severe drop following a long wait has damaged investor confidence. Real-world applications, the outcomes of entrepreneurial investments, and transparent communication will be the most crucial factors determining the project’s fate in the coming period.