Pi Network Faces Tight Scrutiny Over SuperNode Centralization

Pi Network, a blockchain project aimed at providing decentralized mobile mining, is once again facing criticism as concerns about the centralization of the project's SuperNodes continue to grow. Although these nodes play a crucial role in validating transactions and maintaining the integrity of the blockchain, the process for selecting SuperNodes remains unclear. This has led to skepticism about the true decentralization and fairness of the network. The choice of opaque SuperNode raises concerns. In the early stages of development, Pi Network relied on only three SuperNodes in the testnet phase, all of which were controlled by Pi Core Team (PCT) and based in Canada and Finland. This is in stark contrast to major blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum, which operate thousands of independent nodes worldwide to ensure decentralized governance. According to Piscan.io, the number of active nodes has now increased to 42, with three main validators. However, transparency issues remain—there is very little public information about the individuals operating these nodes or the criteria used to select them. This lack of clarity raises an important question: Is Pi Network truly moving towards decentralization or is this expansion merely a superficial effort to create the illusion of fairness?

Although PCT claims that the roles of SuperNodes have been expanded for the broader Pioneer community after the network transitioned to the open phase, the lack of clear selection criteria and an official list of approved SuperNodes has caused users to increasingly lose trust. The disappointment among the pioneers and the fierce reaction from the community Many pioneers—users who have run Pi nodes—have expressed disappointment over the lack of rewards and the unclear selection process for SuperNode. A post on Reddit asking, "What is SuperNode?" only received vague responses from the Pi Network team, who described their technical role without providing guidance on how community members can participate. Additionally, some pioneers have reported that they have been running nodes for months without any tangible results or rewards. This has fueled speculation that SuperNode positions may be restricted to a select group with insider knowledge or access to powerful hardware. If the latter is a requirement, it is completely contrary to Pi Network's vision of "easy mobile mining," which initially attracted millions of users. Expert critique and decentralization issues In addition to the concerns of the community, industry experts are also questioning the structure and reliability of Pi Network. Justin Bons, the Founder & CIO of Cyber Capital, has bluntly called Pi Network a scam, pointing out flaws in its tokenomics, technology, and governance. Bons criticized Pi's dependence on Stellar's infrastructure, the lack of true decentralized financial potential (DeFi), and a mining system that he compared to a Ponzi scheme. While the Pi Network community has tried to promote initiatives like PiDaoSwap to prevent price manipulation and PCT recently introduced the .pi domain, these efforts have still not been enough to stabilize its market position. The price of Pi has dropped below 1 dollar, further raising doubts about its sustainability. The path to true decentralization SuperNodes are a fundamental component of the Pi Network; however, their current implementation contradicts the project's initial promise of decentralization. To restore trust and ensure fairness, the Pi Core Team must act immediately: Announcement of SuperNode Selection Criteria – PCT must provide a clear, publicly accessible set of requirements for selecting SuperNodes. Publication of the list of approved nodes – Transparency about who controls these nodes is necessary to validate decentralization requirements. Establishing a reward mechanism – Pioneers who regularly contribute to the network by operating nodes should be duly rewarded for their efforts. Decentralized management – Decisions about the future of the network should be made by the community rather than controlled by a central entity.

If these changes do not take place, Pi Network risks losing its reputation as a decentralized cryptocurrency. To achieve the project's original vision of financial inclusion, it must prioritize transparency, community involvement, and fairness in the implementation of SuperNode.