Pi Network's recent voluntary token lock-up request has sparked criticism within the community.
The August 2nd announcement encouraged Pioneers to lock up Pi coins to increase mining speed. This quickly provoked backlash on social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter).
Pi Network Token Lockup Initiative
The lock-up feature allows users to lock PI before or after moving to the mainnet.
According to the latest blog, locking after transfer through the Pi wallet provides up to a 200% mining boost, directly applied to Pi already on-chain.
Remember you can voluntarily choose to lock up your Pi to boost your mining rate! The Lockup will be immediately binding until your duration ends. https://t.co/2YrYxP6V0O
โ Pi Network (@PiCoreTeam) August 1, 2025
Locking up your Pi helps support a healthy ecosystem and incentivize long-term engagement with the network.โฆ
Meanwhile, lock-up set through the main Pi app before transfer affects future transfer balance and reward predictions.
Once confirmed, all locks will be binding for the chosen period and cannot be canceled.
Pi Community Outrage Erupts
The timing of the announcement angered many in the Pi Network community.
Users pointed to the declining token price, continuous KYC verification delays, and stalled transfer process as reasons for weakened trust.
Many mentioned that locking more Pi now without clear utility or liquidity is premature and even exploitative.
Others expressed disappointment with the slow release of promised ecosystem features. Tools like Pi domains and app studio remain incomplete or inactive despite early previews.
This lack of follow-up added concerns that the project is stagnating while demanding deeper commitment from users.
Complaints about the transfer queue remain widespread. Some Pioneers report waiting over a year despite completing all KYC steps, with large portions of their balance remaining unverified.
For these users, the option to lock Pi feels meaningless when they cannot access their funds.
Multiple users criticized the core team's silence on roadmap updates and unresolved bugs, demanding greater transparency and accountability before requesting additional user engagement.
Meanwhile, many users remain dissatisfied that the Pi Network has not been more widely listed, especially on Binance.
However, BeInCrypto recently conducted a podcast about why Binance listing could worsen PI's market situation.
Price Decline... Ecosystem Pressure
This backlash occurred during a period of Pi coin price decline. The token fell an additional 11% on Saturday, reaching an all-time low.
Overall, Pi coin has dropped nearly 90% from its February peak.
Adding pressure, August is the month when 160 million unlocked tokens will be released, the largest monthly unlock in Pi Network history. The additional supply is likely to burden an already fragile market.
Early this week, Pi Network implemented its lowest mining rate ever.
This measure was part of a deflationary issuance model aimed at controlling inflation and encouraging long-term engagement through lockups.
