Potential Future Prices for Pi Network in October: Positive and Negative Price Predictions for PI
As October begins, Pi Network is set for a protocol upgrade while its coin battles to maintain a value near nine cents. On October 3, according to CoinGecko, PI was trading around $0.0888 after fluctuating between approximately $0.0861 and $0.0935 in the previous week. The potential for the price to rise to $0.115 or fall back to the historical low near $0.0706 hinges more on sustaining new buyer interest amid increased coin transferability than on the upgrade itself.
Summary
- On October 3, PI traded near $0.0888, with a reported daily volume of about $5.1 million.
- Protocol 28 is set to launch on October 16, following an upgrade deadline for nodes on October 13.
- A sustained break above $0.10 might lead to a target range of $0.10 to $0.115 as the best scenario.
- A drop below $0.08 could risk a return to the recorded low of $0.07059.
- Pi currently has 417,000 KYC cases and 497,000 wallet cases that don’t guarantee completed migrations or immediate sales.
The price ranges stated are speculative scenarios rather than guaranteed outcomes. The key trading bracket remains between $0.08 and $0.10, which has largely characterized PI’s activity since July. A breakout from this range necessitates substantial evidence: for upward movement, that would mean sustained trading and increased volume; for a downward shift, it would require failed support and ongoing selling pressure. These price extremes serve as points of testing rather than assertions that one must be achieved by the end of October.
October’s pivotal developments include Pi Network’s slated Protocol 28 and its new partnership with Open Standard. The former is a scheduled software update while the latter involves exploring how a stablecoin could foster rewards and utility within Pi’s ecosystem. However, neither event guarantees the demand for PI from buyers, nor indicates how much newly available supply will be sold by holders. This uncertainty presents challenges for making accurate price predictions.
The starting price limits prediction accuracy
CoinGecko’s market snapshot from October 3 highlighted PI at approximately $0.0888, with a circulating supply of about 11.24 billion coins, leading to a market cap close to $1 billion and daily trading around $5.1 million. These metrics are fluid and should be updated prior to publication, clearly noting the time of observation.
The trading volume represented about 0.51% of the stated market cap ($5.1 million divided by $1 billion). This ratio is not a liquidity indicator; exchange volumes can indicate repetitive trades of the same coins, and market cap denotes price multiplied by circulating supply, not cash readily available for purchases. Yet, this suggests that even minor shifts in the order book can be significant during notable events. Valuations approaching $1 billion contrasted with daily activity in the millions reflect variances in scale.
PI has seen trades at approximately 97% below its peak of $2.99, meaning reaching that high again would necessitate an over thirty-fold increase. Relevant references for October include the recent high around $0.0935, the key psychological barrier at $0.10, and the $0.08 level that has constrained trading. Previous analyses by Crypto.news of the $0.10 resistance highlighted past unsuccessful attempts in September and the impending upgrade. The central question is what factors may lead to either a successful breakout or a failure as October progresses.
A price report from late September showcased another unsuccessful rebound near $0.093, which serves as historical context for examining the initial resistance point, rather than a direct substitute for current chart evaluations. A price level that has been repeatedly rejected in September might yield later in October if the ordering dynamics shift.
No technical indicator is unbreakable. A price might briefly exceed $0.10 due to sparse offers, only to retreat below that threshold when holders decide to sell. A reliable confirmation would require sustained daily closes above this figure, with volume that does not diminish as the price scales upward. A one-day spike followed by a decline would leave the best-case scenario unvalidated, rendering the forecast subject to reevaluation.
What Protocol 28 modifies, and what it does not
According to Pi’s formal announcement, Protocol 27 was successfully implemented on the mainnet while Protocol 28 began testing in late September. Node operators must complete the upgrade by October 13, ahead of a planned mainnet activation on October 16. Upcoming changes will enhance how transaction data delays are processed and allow developers to update multiple smart contracts concurrently and modify stored application data more securely. Pi’s node page also displays requirements that mainnet nodes must upgrade to v28.
These enhancements present valuable improvements for developers and the network. A safer procedure for contract upgrades can facilitate easier application maintenance, while improved handling of transaction data delays fosters reliability. Nonetheless, a protocol upgrade alone does not compel merchants to accept PI nor ensure users will retain tokens instead of selling them. The perceived impacts on price will fluctuate based on the quality and volume of activity following the software alteration.
Three possible outcomes exist. The upgrade may proceed as planned with little immediate economic effect; it could face delays or issues that undermine confidence; or developers might rapidly deploy services capable of processing actual PI payments, retaining users. The initial scenario represents a technical success devoid of clear demand changes. The second scenario would be detrimental. The third scenario represents the optimal bullish perspective, necessitating solid evidence beyond just a successful network status update.
The October 13 upgrade deadline poses an early checkpoint. If many nodes do not transition as required, meeting the October 16 activation could be challenging. If the network achieves timely activation, the subsequent evaluation focuses on applications: new launches on the mainnet, recurring payments, and whether transactions use PI in ways that generate demand rather than circulating existing holdings.
The project has also released developer documentation and guidance for payment integration, as per their September developer update. This work alleviates some hurdles for developers but does not equate to an operational count of paying customers. The best-case scenario necessitates a measurable strategy linking tools to actual utility, not a public announcement regarding tools alone.
A partnership with a stablecoin doesn’t guarantee PI purchases
Pi has announced a partnership with Open Standard, the creators of Open USD (OUSD). The statement emphasizes the intention to explore providing rewards for Pioneers and enhancing the utility of OUSD across the Pi ecosystem, with further details forthcoming. Open Standard lists Pi Network among its partners and portrays OUSD as an asset for payments and financial activities. While these details affirm the partnership’s existence, they do not confirm a live integration of OUSD within a Pi application or a direct influx of OUSD users demanding PI.
There’s even a possibility of substitution. If a service prices items in traditional dollars while accepting OUSD, that might simplify payments without necessitating customers to possess PI beyond any associated fees or application requirements. Conversely, a product might associate OUSD settlements with PI staking, discounts, or other elements that incentivize acquiring the native coin. Both design avenues are plausible but undetermined in public quantifiable terms.
The review of Pi’s open mainnet in its inaugural year highlighted the disconnect between a considerable user base and verified economic use. This partnership with OUSD could close this gap if it spurs frequent transactions and a compelling rationale for using PI. A stablecoin partnership by itself fails to gauge either outcome effectively.
Open Standard’s OUSD may attract users through partnerships with various payment and technology companies. However, this wider network does not automatically direct increased activity to Pi. To accurately assess, one must consider the actual transactions within Pi, the count of returning users, and how PI is utilized in these transactions. Assuming a partner list will elevate PI’s value without accounting for the demand for its native coin could misinterpret the dynamics of a commercial network.
The timing also complicates October forecasts. A new partnership announced at the beginning of the month may capture immediate interest, but integrations, adoption, and sustained fee or staking requirements typically develop on different timelines. The bullish case can assert the potential for a credible near-term launch if established and executed. It cannot treat exploratory language as having immediate financial benefits for PI holders throughout October.
The supply argument falters under simple division scrutiny
The recurring discourse on supply merits an arithmetic review as it frequently justifies specific price calls. A Crypto.news feature on 2026 unlocks noted that approximately 1.21 billion PI was slated for release throughout the year, with an average rate of about 6.5 million per day. Both figures cannot coexist as averages for all 365 days of 2026. Dividing 1.21 billion by 365 yields roughly 3.32 million daily; multiplying 6.5 million by 365 provides an annual total closer to 2.37 billion.
This mismatch does not suggest either figure was fabricated; a 6.5 million daily average may reference a shorter timeframe, a changing tracker snapshot, or a distinct set of days; similarly, a 1.21 billion total may adopt a differing definition for unlocks. The concern lies in referencing both claims as forming an internally consistent schedule. For October, neither assures a dependable monthly total without a timestamped, wallet-level schedule and explicit definitions of which balances are locked, migrated, claimable, and transferable.
This is crucial since unlocked coins do not equate to immediate sell orders on exchanges. Holders might retain their PI, utilize it within applications, transfer it to others, or deposit it onto exchanges. Balances may become accessible following identity verification, through secondary migration steps, or upon lockup expiration. Making predictions based solely on the assumption that all unlocked assets will be sold leads to an inflated perspective on known supply pressures, while ignoring newly transferable balances results in an underestimation.
An accurate assessment for October should commence with changes in circulating and transferrable supply, followed by analyzing exchange deposits and order book depth, rather than multiplying an unverified daily unlock estimate by 31 and applying that to predict sales volumes. A publicized release schedule could significantly improve these forecasts. Until a reconciliation occurs with observed supply, assigning a precise dollar value to unlock selling in October lacks support.
It is possible to demonstrate sensitivity without claiming to predict outcomes. For instance, if an additional 100 million PI were to unlock during a scenario, a 5% share reaching exchanges would imply that 5 million PI entered; a 20% share would amount to 20 million PI. At the October 3 reference price of $0.0888, these figures would translate to an estimated value of approximately $444,000 for the 5 million and about $1.78 million for the 20 million. This exercise is based on stated assumptions rather than suggesting that 100 million tokens will unlock or that any specific proportion will be sold. Even if deposited, that does not equate to an immediate sale. This illustrates the necessity of understanding holder behavior alongside the total amount released.
In comparison, the reported trading volume around $5.1 million over a 24-hour period demonstrates inconsistency relative to market valuation. The larger hypothetical deposit could comprise roughly 35% of that daily turnover, assuming all trades occur at the reference price; in contrast, the smaller has a comparative value of about 9%. The actual price impact could vary if sellers distribute their orders over weeks while fresh bids come in, or conversely amplify if multiple holders decide to sell amid a thin order book. This is more a scale assessment than a definitive price-impact prediction.
To generate the actual calculation, a researcher would require a timestamped unlock distribution, identify the wallets receiving these unlocked assets, label exchange addresses appropriately, and avoid counting internal wallet transfers multiple times. A cohort that unlocks in October may not initiate its migration immediately; similarly, a migrated balance could remain locked or serve as collateral. Each distinct phase alters interpretation. Consolidating all situations as fresh sales would inflate results ahead of executing a market order.
A public source trail should clarify whether the schedule refers to gross locks expiring, net additions to transferable supply, or tokens entering exchange custody. These provide different numerators for analysis. If the denominator is circulating supply, there must be a clear provider and cutoff since data vendors treat migrated and locked balances differently. The aim here is not to render supply inscrutable; instead, it’s about employing a metric whose units and timestamp can withstand scrutiny.
KYC advancements enhance access, not an influx of buyers
Pi’s update on KYC and migration from September 17 indicated that more than 417,000 flagged accounts could advance after additional reviews, explicitly noting that these updates did not substitute for other necessary checks. A second technical solution was intended to assist the 497,000 fast-track wallet holders lacking enough PI for gas fees to claim migration balances, with the claimed implementation set for within a week of the announcement.
Neither figure represents individuals who have finalized migration in October. There may be overlaps within these two demographics, and a successfully migrated account does not automatically translate to a purchase intent. Rather, it might simply become a holder of previously earned coins, now capable of transferring or selling. Crypto.news’s in-depth KYC analysis substantiated the distinct stages of clearance, migration, transferability, and actual application spending. Each stage must be separately considered in price analyses.
Pi’s incremental second migrations provide another pathway for moving previously earned balances onto mainnet. An update from March revealed that over 119,000 users had completed second migrations to that date, with first migrations prioritized. This figure is historical and does not project the activity for October, indicating that the amount of newly transferable supply cannot limit itself merely to one KYC backlog segment.
The ideal circumstance for holders is that gaining access encourages users to apply PI in applications, engage repeatedly, and retain some balance. Conversely, the worst-case scenario would see the same process leading to exchange deposits without generating equivalent demand in applications. Both results stem from the same technical advancement, and a subsequent cohort report could delineate between them through demonstrated activity. Current public data does not enable this distinction.
Best case: $0.10 becomes a support level, not just a target
At the reference price of $0.0888 on October 3, the $0.10 mark represents a roughly 12.6% increase, while $0.115 signifies near a 29.5% rise. This arithmetic illustrates the scale of a potential $0.10 to $0.115 target range but does not justify why it would be achieved. True justification hinges on sustainable new demand and a supply flow that the market is capable of absorbing.
The sequence is crucial. PI would initially need to recover the recent $0.093 to $0.094 range that previously limited its trading. Thereafter, it must not only cross the $0.10 threshold but also maintain its position above this point amid routine profit-taking, rather than just spiking briefly following the upgrade. The reported spot volume should ideally rise from roughly $5 million recorded on October 3, without the entirety of the price movement depending on a fleeting period of low liquidity. The days following October 16 should reveal actual application use or indicate continuing buyer interest, as the announcement itself will not constitute fresh news at that juncture.
Integration of OUSD could aid sentiment if Pi and Open Standard disseminate clear implementation information. Such details would become significantly more pertinent for PI’s valuation if they exhibit a defined role for the native coin and showcase actual use rather than merely presenting an option for OUSD payments. While new access opportunities could influence liquidity, speculative listings should not factor into this October baseline unless explicitly validated by listings.
The contrary scenario holds considerable weight. A native coin may appreciate in advance of a network upgrade as speculators position themselves prior to the event, even before applications start generating revenue. The market might favor PI based solely on anticipation, causing it to exceed $0.115. This prospect is not constrained by logical design. Conversely, a short-lived speculative spike would not fulfill the criteria for sustained demand. Any practical disproof will manifest as a breakout that fails to hold above $0.10 in subsequent sessions, alongside a decline in volume.
Middle case: positive news keeps PI within its established range
The central trading range of $0.08 to $0.10 remains credible even if the node upgrade operates as intended. Successful software deployments can mitigate technical barriers, while the adoption of commercial applications may take longer. New users accessing balances might opt to sell into enthusiasm generated by existing traders, leading to a stalemate between buyers and sellers around familiar price boundaries.
This outcome can be misinterpreted easily. Should PI ascend