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Pi Network has activated its stellar protocol v25 upgrade on mainnet, introducing X-Ray, a native privacy framework designed to support zero-knowledge cryptography across its network of 15.8 million verified users.
The deployment, confirmed by early community contributor Feng Leng on Thursday, followed a two-week testnet phase and formal governance vote.
The upgrade represents one of the blockchain’s most significant technical advancements since launch, adding enhanced privacy tools, improved smart contract reliability, and streamlined developer monetization features.
The mainnet activation of Pi Network Stellar Protocol v25 followed a governance vote conducted by Stellar’s layer-1 developer community on Thursday. More than 15.8 million KYC-verified Pi mainnet users were eligible to participate, underscoring the scale of community involvement in protocol-level decisions.
On Stellar-based systems, governance is conducted transparently: proposed upgrades are debated publicly, transactions are auditable, and the full codebase is accessible for independent verification. This process ensured that the transition to Pi Network Stellar Protocol v25 occurred only after consensus was reached across the ecosystem.
#PiNetwork‘s long-awaited Stellar Protocol v25, featuring the upgraded privacy protocol X-Ray, is now live on the mainnet, bringing the following advantages:
🔐 Smooth migration for existing Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZK) applications
🔐 More efficient proving system
🔐 Lower costs… pic.twitter.com/RcbtxVwl7i
— PiNetwork DEX⚡️阿龙 (@fen_leng) January 23, 2026
Prior to the vote, Pi Network activated Testnet 25 on January 7, aligning it fully with Stellar Protocol v25. The testing period focused on stress-testing smart contract execution, validating cryptographic enhancements, and ensuring network stability ahead of mainnet deployment.
The flagship feature of Pi Network Stellar Protocol v25 is X-Ray, an upgraded privacy framework built to support zero-knowledge cryptography without sacrificing base-layer transparency. According to Pi Network documentation, X-Ray is intended to simplify the migration of existing zero-knowledge proof applications while reducing costs and computational overhead for developers.
Through X-Ray, Pi Network Stellar Protocol now natively connects with the broader zero-knowledge ecosystem, opening the door for privacy-focused decentralized applications. The protocol includes built-in support for BN254, also known as alt_bn128, a pairing-friendly elliptic curve widely used for on-chain verification of ZK-proofs in Ethereum-compatible environments.
BN254 provides an estimated 100 to 110 bits of security, striking a balance between performance efficiency and cryptographic strength. Its inclusion allows Pi Network Stellar Protocol v25 to support advanced proof systems without requiring developers to rely on external tooling.
Another core component of X-Ray is Poseidon, a family of hash functions optimized for modern zero-knowledge applications. By embedding Poseidon directly into the protocol, Pi Network Stellar Protocol enables developers to deploy privacy features without manually re-engineering hashing logic, significantly reducing development complexity.
Alongside the Pi Network Stellar Protocol mainnet launch, Pi Network has rolled out new tools within its App Studio aimed at simplifying in-app payment integration. Developers can now embed Test-Pi payments directly into applications through non-technical, interactive steps.
🚨 Attention Pi Pioneers! 🚨
We’re thrilled to announce that we’re experiencing an exciting surge in traffic as our community grows! 🌟 To ensure everything runs smoothly, you’ve been placed in a short waiting queue.
No need to uninstall the app or create a new account—your… pic.twitter.com/DIDMPxUo7Z
— Pi Coin Magazine (@Pi_CoinMagazine) January 22, 2026
Previously, even with a developer library that reduced integration time to around 10 minutes, creators still needed to understand Pi’s APIs and transaction flows. The updated App Studio now abstracts much of that complexity, allowing creators to add payment logic during the app creation process itself.
Under the current implementation, Test-Pi payments apply to a single active “session,” such as purchasing virtual items or unlocking app features during a specific round or task. To activate payments, Pioneers must create a custom app in the Pi Browser, select “Customize App With Pi AI,” and explicitly reference “Pi payment” in the prompt.
These changes are closely tied to Pi Network Stellar Protocol v25’s broader goal of lowering barriers for non-technical builders entering the ecosystem.
Following the rollout of Pi Network Stellar Protocol, some users reported queues and error messages in the Pi Browser. Posts on X suggested the disruptions were linked to a surge in activity driven by the new App Studio features and the protocol upgrade itself.
The spike coincided with the introduction of AI-powered tools that allow non-coders to deploy Test-Pi payment functionality using simple prompts. In response, the Pi Core Team clarified that temporary congestion was expected during peak usage periods.
Adding to the momentum, Pi Network announced that developers can now deploy app iterations by watching advertisements instead of paying Pi directly when their App Studio balance falls below 0.25 Pi. While this ad-based option improves accessibility, the team cautioned that ad revenue does not fully cover infrastructure costs such as API usage and server resources, which remain subsidized by the platform.
With Pi Network Stellar Protocol v25 now live, Pi Network has reinforced its commitment to privacy, scalability, and developer accessibility. The upgrade positions the network to support more sophisticated decentralized applications while maintaining transparent governance and community oversight.
As adoption grows, the success of Pi Network Stellar Protocol v25 will likely be measured by how effectively developers leverage its zero-knowledge capabilities and simplified monetization tools. For now, the mainnet launch represents a decisive step forward in Pi Network’s long-term roadmap.
