Pi Day 2025: Expanding The Ecosystem With Utilities On All Levels After Open Network

With the launch of Open Network and external connectivity enabled, Pi Network has entered a new era—one that connects its thriving ecosystem to the broader blockchain world and expands its real-world functionality. 

Millions of Pioneers are using Pi, tens of thousands of businesses are integrating it into their services, and many apps were built that address community and ecosystem needs and drive real engagement—showcasing Pi’s strength and stability for not just the Pi community but also the broader crypto space and internet. 

In support of expanding the Pi ecosystem and Pi’s overall utility, Pi released several features today, which accompanied the start of the global PiFest event:

• The .pi Domains Auction;
• PiFest shopping period begins;
• Mainnet Ecosystem application expansion; and
• Mainnet Ecosystem UI revamp.

The .pi Domains Auction: Introducing a New Platform-Level Utility

Domains are an important infrastructure layer of any online ecosystem. On the first Pi Day after Open Network, the expansion of the Pi ecosystem starts by enabling participants and contributors of the Pi ecosystem to have the opportunity to secure and have customized .pi domains for their businesses, brands, stores, content, apps, websites, personal use, etc.—while at the same time providing platform-level utility for the Pi cryptocurrency through the .pi Domain Auction. This platform-level utility harnesses the collective resources of the Pi community and the enabled external connectivity provided by the Open Network. 

What are the .pi domains?

Traditional internet domains function as unique identifiers and digital addresses, enabling individuals and businesses to establish a recognizable and accessible online presence and facilitating easy navigation, branding, and user engagement across the global internet infrastructure. Similarly, .pi domains serve as unique digital identifiers or virtual storefronts within the Pi ecosystem, simplifying interactions with Pi-based websites, apps, and services. 

Overall, the operation and organization of .pi domains generally follows the mechanisms that have worked in the traditional internet domain industry for decades, e.g. ownership, transfers, annual registration fees, etc. However, .pi domains differ significantly in two ways: first, they specifically operate within a Web3 environment, and are compatible directly with the Pi Browser and third-party wallets and services that integrate with this feature, or via the extension of pinet.com that works in legacy browsers such as Chrome and Safari. Second, the acquisition process including the Auction and bidding for .pi domains are executed using blockchain technology and Pi as the exclusive currency for payments, and allows for the leveraging of the Pi blockchain to ensure transparency, security, and direct utility of the Pi cryptocurrency.

What differentiates .pi domains from many other virtual properties?

The primary differentiating factor is that the tangible value of .pi domains is backed by the attention and engagement of over 60 million Pioneers worldwide, more than 19 million identity-verified individuals, over 12 million people on the blockchain, and more—externally via blockchain and third-party services—who are ready to transact, in addition to tens of thousands merchants accepting Pi globally. The participation, engagement and strength of the Pi community has been witnessed by the world following the Open Network launch.

Another important differentiator is that the .pi domains already possess clear, immediate, and measurable real-world use cases, as well as practical applications now. Merchants can easily set up recognizable storefronts that are accessible by Pioneers using simple branded domain names. E-commerce apps allow rapid deployment of online stores or blogs, significantly enhancing community interaction and commerce. Developers can build and host custom applications on personalized .pi domains, driving innovation and technical growth. Brands benefit from strengthened identity, streamlined user adoption, and improved discoverability within the ecosystem. All of these are currently available in the ecosystem. This is different from purchasing virtual properties in an empty Web3 social network without anyone inside, where the utility of the properties is unrealized and their use cases are uncertain now and in the future. 

How does the .pi Domain Auction create a platform-level utility for Pi?

As a reminder, a platform-level utility translates Pi’s collective resources into network-wide utilities that serve to back Pi as a currency for all Pioneers. This is different from app-level utility, which is confined in a specific Pi app context and functionalities. The most recent platform-level utility released was Pi Ad Network. 

Similarly, the .pi Domain Auction is also a platform-level utility because it directly harnesses the collective resources of the Pi community—attention, authenticity, and the large community ready to transact—that make .pi domain names useful. 

The .pi Auction is fully run on Pi cryptocurrency—people need to use Pi to bid and purchase something that has real-world meaning and purpose. No other currency or cryptocurrency is accepted or involved. All Pi received from selling the .pi domains will be dedicated to the Pi ecosystem, developer programs, events and the facilitation of Pi’s utility.

The operation and organization of the Auction rely heavily on the Pi Mainnet blockchain, increasing its usage, as well as its special features, such as claimable balances for Pioneers and Multiplexed addresses for CEX users who possess Pi but are not yet Pioneers. 

Auction participation rules 

Here’s how this first iteration of the .pi Domain Auction will work:

• Eligibility: The entire Pi community and any individual that is able to acquire Pi through centralized exchanges (CEXs). 
• Duration: The Auction starts on Pi day, March 14, 2025, and will end on Pi2day, June 28, 2025. Individual domain auctions, for specific domain names, will be extended if there are new bids within the 24 hours prior to the end of that domain auction. To be clear, this means that the individual domain auction for a specific domain name will only end once there has been no new bid for the 24 hour period prior to the end of that domain auction.
• Rules and how to participate: Pioneers can participate by visiting https://domains.pinet.com on the Pi Browser, which will guide people to the related products such as the Pi Wallet to complete the bid.
  • In the Auction interface, type the domain you want to secure for your use;
  • Make a bid (the minimum bid is 10 Pi) for the domain; and
  • The highest bid wins and purchases the .pi domain for their exclusive use, subject to a potential future yearly registration and maintenance fee, similar to traditional internet domain fees. 
• Method to bid:
  • Pioneers can take advantage of the full-fledged functionality of the Pi blockchain—the claimable balance feature which allows Pioneers to send their Pi as a bid for a domain in a reversible manner. This means they can withdraw the amount they previously bid at any time before the end of the Auction.
  • Shortly after the launch of the Auction, people who only possess Pi through exchanges will also be able to participate in the Auction. Since exchanges do not support claimable balances, the process will be different. In those cases, the Auction user interface will produce a custom Pi blockchain address for each one of the domains they want to bid on (these special addresses will start with the letter “M”). Those individuals will then be able to send Pi to those addresses as their bid. Since these bids are implemented as standard payments, any refunds will only be processed after the end of the Auction. With respect to the transfer of the domain to these winners, they will need to establish standard Pi blockchain accounts in order to receive their .pi domain. People who want to make use of Pi blockchain are able to become Pioneers through the normal onboarding process via the Pi mobile app.

Note: The Company reserves the right to invalidate or remove any Domain Auction or bid for any reason in its sole discretion. For example, we may exclude already reserved domains and certain domains from Auctions to reserve for official or future use, such as pi, pinetwork, coreteam, maps, etc. Vulgar or offensive language will also be excluded. Participants of any invalidated Auctions will simply receive back the amount that they provided as their staked bid either anytime through the claimable balance feature or after June 28th, 2025 for non-Pioneers. Gas fees apply. Auction participants will be required to pay the gas fees for every bid added (0.01 Pi), modified (0.02 Pi) or removed (0.01 Pi). Additional or higher gas fees may be applicable in practice as the blockchain determines. The Company reserves the right to change or modify these rules at any time in its sole and absolute discretion, with or without notice to participants.

First PiFest in Open Network: Shopping Period Begins

The shopping period for the first Open Network PiFest has officially begun and will run from today, March 14 to Friday, March 21, 2025. With the full support of Open Network connectivity now enabled, visit and shop at local Pi-Powered businesses using Pi. Discover local businesses through the Map of Pi app and engage actively through Pi’s complete ecosystem for local commerce integration. The merchant registration period started two days ago. Currently there are over 100,000 registered sellers, including 49,000 active sellers on Map of Pi. 

Share your experiences on Fireside Forum (in the #PiFest Channel), and on social media. Use the Map of Pi app to find participating Pi merchants near you, and use your Pi Wallet to easily make and receive payments on the Pi Mainnet blockchain. Your Fireside Forum posts may even be featured on Pi’s social media accounts. Merchants, remember to promote your businesses as well! 

PiFest boosts local commerce utilities and showcases Pi’s real-world use around the globe. Learn more about the guidelines of the first Open Network PiFest here.

Mainnet Ecosystem Application Expanded

To facilitate easy onboarding for developers who want to build Pi apps, the application to start building, or to deploy Pi apps that are already built, is designed to be simple and easy for developers to use. However, the criteria for getting Pi apps listed on the Pi Ecosystem Interface on the Pi Browser has a much higher standard, including with respect to app quality, completeness of app functionalities, evaluation of utility, and compliance with stricter Pi ecosystem policies and guidelines. The reason for this higher standard is that Pi apps need to cross a minimum threshold before they can benefit from the traffic from Pioneers in the ecosystem, and in turn, this also serves as an incentive for developers to build better apps compliant with the policies and that will serve Pioneers and their needs. 

Notwithstanding the higher standards for ecosystem listing discussed above, this process has been improved in order to make it even simpler and accessible to apply. To this end, developers who meet the Mainnet app deployment requirements can now apply to add their apps to the Mainnet Ecosystem Interface by going directly to the Developer Portal to apply without having to wait to be whitelisted to do so.

Previously, apps had to be granted eligibility before they could apply to be listed in the Pi Ecosystem Interface in the Pi Browser. Now, this pre-approval step has been removed, meaning that eligible developers are no longer required to wait for approval to apply. This change streamlines the process and allows even more developers to apply for their apps to be included in the Mainnet Ecosystem Interface. 

This update is important because it:

• Allows many developers who meet Mainnet requirements to apply without delay;
• Will increase the number of Mainnet apps visible within the Pi ecosystem; and
• Supports the network’s utility and growth by expanding the number and quality of Mainnet apps.

Pi already has a group of Mainnet Pi apps that have gone live which set the groundwork for the subsequent inclusion of even more Pi apps and releases on the Mainnet Ecosystem Interface. The Mainnet app list does not include all Mainnet and Mainnet-ready apps, as selection is limited based on quality, utility delivered, and compliance with Pi ecosystem policies and guidelines. Some third-party Pi apps that serve as a directory of Pi Mainnet apps may display more or even all Mainnet apps, so Pioneers can reference those for a broader view of available apps.

Note: Applying does not guarantee your app will be included—apps must still meet the Mainnet ecosystem listing requirements to be approved.

Improved Ecosystem Interface Design 

The Ecosystem Interface design has improved organization to help Pioneers navigate community apps more intuitively and effectively with a cleaner design for an improved user experience. Previously, each app had labels like “Mainnet App” or “Not on PiNet”, which cluttered the interface. As a part of recent updates, those labels have been replaced with an “M” badge for Mainnet apps, “T” badge for Testnet apps, and a “!” badge for apps that are not on PiNet. When Pioneers tap on an app for more details, they will also see explanations for these badges inside the app page.

Conclusion

Pioneers, happy 6th Anniversary of Pi’s official launch! With the recent Open Network launch, the demonstrated strength and unity of our community, and ecosystem initiatives, we hope you are as excited as we are to explore this phase of our network together. Building anything with significance and greatness requires effort, collaboration, innovation, determination, and resilience, especially when we are treading a less travelled path. 

We have never been so convinced, as we are now, that our network and community can establish itself as a defining force in the Web3 and soon AI-pervasive world. The community should be proud that it has successfully built a network with real substance and, in the process, overcome various challenges along the way. Of course, as we move forward, new and different challenges, obstacles, and distractions will arise, but as long as the community stands together and focuses on substance, utility, and what matters in this world, these will be surmounted too.