Headline: Pi Network to Sponsor Consensus 2026 — Founders to Pitch Identity, AI and Smart-Contract Roadmap as Token Gains
Pi Network will take center stage at Consensus 2026 in Miami, sponsoring the event and putting its platform in front of blockchain builders, investors and policymakers as it tries to convert a large user base into a broader developer and app ecosystem.
Founders to outline infrastructure, identity and AI use cases
Pi’s co-founders, Chengdiao Fan and Nicolas Kokkalis, are both slated to speak at the conference. Fan will present on May 6 about how Pi’s blockchain, its verified-identity system and a global mobile user network could underpin products for the AI and Web3 era. Kokkalis will appear on May 7 on a panel addressing the thorny challenge of proving human identity online while preserving privacy — a topic gaining urgency as AI makes impersonation easier.
Pi continues to emphasize identity verification
The project has promoted identity verification as a core feature, using a KYC-based model that mixes human checks with AI-assisted tools. Pi says it has more than 18 million verified users and that its system has processed “hundreds of millions” of verification tasks across the community — positioning the project among those pursuing proof-of-personhood solutions.
Timing aligns with major protocol upgrades
The Consensus appearance coincides with a technical transition for the network. Node operators must upgrade to Protocol 22 by April 27 or risk having failed nodes removed from active support. Protocol 22 brings support for node software and desktop apps and is positioned as a stepping stone to Protocol 23, expected in May, which is designed to enable smart contracts. Pi’s planned PiRC1 token standard further signals a push toward a wider app and token ecosystem that could attract developers.
Market reaction
The token has already seen a price bump: CoinGecko data showed Pi rising about 5.3% in 24 hours to trade near $0.18, a move traders linked to the project’s heightened visibility at Consensus and its upcoming network changes.
Pi highlighted the founders’ participation in an X post, noting both will “take the stage as speakers at the Consensus 2026 conference,” and said Fan will speak on Pi’s infrastructure and verified identity network. With founder visibility, a large verified user base and imminent protocol upgrades, Pi Network is attempting to pivot from a mobile-first community experiment toward a platform that can support developers, smart contracts and identity-aware Web3 and AI applications.
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