Pi Network Suspends Wallet Payment Requests After Surge in Scam Activity

Pi Network has temporarily disabled its wallet payment request feature after a sharp rise in scam incidents that targeted users holding large PI balances. The decision, announced by the Pi Core Team on Dec. 30, aims to limit further losses while additional safety measures are reviewed.

According to the team’s statement, scammers have been exploiting the visibility of wallet balances on the Pi blockchain. By scanning for accounts with significant holdings, attackers can send fraudulent payment requests designed to look legitimate. Once a user approves such a request, the PI is transferred instantly and cannot be recovered.

Pi Network stressed that the issue does not stem from a technical flaw in the protocol. Instead, losses occur when users approve transactions without properly verifying the sender. Even so, the growing scale of the abuse prompted the team to take swift action.

How the scams unfolded

Community reports suggest the scams became more coordinated in recent months. Attackers often impersonate friends, family members, or even official Pi-related accounts to gain trust. In several cases, users reported receiving multiple payment requests in a short period of time, increasing the likelihood of accidental approval.

One widely shared example shows a single scammer-controlled wallet receiving more than 838,000 PI in December 2025 alone. Over the course of the year, cumulative losses are estimated to run into the millions of tokens.

To reduce further risk, Pi Network has fully suspended payment requests across the network. While the pause is described as temporary, no timeline has been given for when the feature will return. In the meantime, community moderators are advising users to reject all payment requests, regardless of who appears to be sending them.

Recent developments and market context

The payment request suspension comes during an active period for the Pi ecosystem. Earlier in December, Pi Network introduced additional AI tools into its KYC process, cutting average wait times by about half. The project also announced the winners of its first Open Network hackathon, which attracted more than 215 submissions from developers.

Despite these developments, PI continues to face market pressure. At the time of writing, the token was trading at $0.203, up 0.8% on the day but roughly 10% lower than a month earlier. From its February all-time high of $2.99, PI has declined by about 93%.

Sentiment has also been influenced by ongoing token unlocks. Around 105 million PI tokens were unlocked in December, adding supply to a market with relatively low liquidity. Daily trading volume has remained modest, typically ranging between $8 million and $30 million.

What comes next

Analysts currently expect PI to trade within a narrow range of $0.15 to $0.25 unless network activity and user confidence improve. For now, the suspension of payment requests underscores the challenges of balancing usability with security in a public blockchain environment.

As Pi Network works on additional safeguards, the episode serves as a reminder for users to approach on-chain transactions with caution. Clearer protections and stronger user awareness may play a key role in restoring trust as the network moves forward.