Pi Network's latest move to lock tokens voluntarily has sparked a wave of criticism within the community. The announcement on August 2 encouraged Pioneers to lock their Pi coins in exchange for improved mining rates. This has caused a backlash on social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter).

Push to lock Pi network tokens

The locking feature allows users to lock PI before or after moving to Mainnet.

According to the latest blog, the lock periods after moving through the Pi Wallet offer mining boosts of up to 200% and apply directly to Pi, which is already on-chain.

Meanwhile, pre-migration lock orders, configured through the main Pi app, will affect future transfer balances and predict rewards.

Once confirmed, all lock orders are effective for the selected period and cannot be undone.

The disappointment of the Pi community erupts

The timing of the announcement has angered many in the Pi Network community.

Users point to the falling token price, ongoing delays in KYC verification, and sluggish migration processes as reasons for dwindling trust in the project.

Many find that locking more Pi right now—without clear utility or liquidity—is too soon and even exploitative.

Others express disappointment over the slow rollout of promised ecosystem features. Tools like Pi Domains and App Studio are still unfinished or non-functional, despite previews being available.

The lack of this pursuit raises concerns that the project is stagnating while still requiring users to commit more deeply.

Complaints about the migration queue remain common. Some Pioneers report having to wait over a year despite completing all KYC steps, with much of their balance stuck in unverified status.

For these users, the option to lock Pi seems irrelevant when they cannot access their funds.

Some users also criticize the Core Team's silence on roadmap updates and unresolved issues, calling for increased transparency and accountability before asking users to engage more.

Meanwhile, many users are still dissatisfied as Pi Network has not been listed more widely, specifically on Binance.

However, BeInCrypto recently hosted a podcast on why the listing on Binance could worsen the PI market situation.

Falling prices and ecosystem pressures

This backlash occurs amid a plummeting price of the Pi coin. The currency has dropped an additional 11% on Saturday, hitting an all-time low.

Overall, the Pi coin has dropped nearly 90% from its peak in February.

Additionally, August marks the release of 160 million unlocked tokens, the largest monthly unlock in Pi Network's history. This additional supply could apply pressure on an already fragile market.

At the beginning of this week, Pi Network also implemented the lowest mining rate ever.

This move is part of a deflationary emission model, aimed at controlling inflation and encouraging long-term participation through lock-in measures.