Pi Network is entering a waiting phase ahead of the major Protocol 28 upgrade.

PI price today dropped to $0.0866 with a decline of around 2.01 percent. This drop was not accompanied by major negative catalysts, but rather reflects a loss of momentum after the Protocol 28 news was already priced in by the market. Trading volume increased during the decline, indicating selling pressure is rising.

Pi Network Enters Waiting Phase

Under current conditions, PI appears to be entering a phase where the market needs a new reason to return to aggressive buying. As long as this pressure has not subsided, PI has the potential to remain volatile within a relatively limited range.

Protocol 28 Is The Big Agenda

Protocol 28 is the closest agenda. Pi Testnet has switched to Protocol 28 since September 25 after Protocol 27 was completed on Mainnet.

Important dates to note:

Node Operator upgrade deadline: October 13, 2026

Protocol 28 Mainnet launch: October 16, 2026

Operators who do not upgrade before the deadline risk losing connectivity to the network. General PI holders are not required to take any action.

This upgrade brings three main improvements: how the network handles delays in transaction data, the ability for developers to upgrade groups of smart contracts at once, and a safer method for changing stored data.

OUSD Partnership Has Not Yet Impacted Price

The partnership with Open Standard announced together with the launch of the OUSD stablecoin on September 30 has not yet had a direct impact on price. OUSD is backed by more than 200 partners including Visa, Google, Stripe, Mastercard, BlackRock and Coinbase, and runs on Base, Ethereum, Solana and Tempo.

Pi said it will explore reward programs for Pioneers and OUSD utility in the Pi ecosystem, but there is no launch date, reward terms, or explanation of how OUSD will connect to the PI token. So the deal so far is still an intention, not a product.

Price Outlook

For the short term, $0.081 is the main defense level, while $0.094 is the important resistance. Movement between these two levels is likely to remain the dominant pattern before a stronger catalyst emerges.

Weekly outlook for October:

October 1 to 7: $0.0850 to $0.0975

October 8 to 14: $0.0812 to $0.1003, ahead of node deadline October 13

October 15 to 21: $0.0812 to $0.1100, Protocol 28 upgrade lands October 16

October 22 to 31: $0.0700 to $0.1100, depending on Fed decision October 28

Overall, Pi Network’s prospects are currently in a neutral condition with a tendency to consolidate. The market is still waiting to see whether Protocol 28 on October 16 can provide new momentum for sentiment and network activity.