Pi Network price gains 5% as CPI cools, upgrade passes
Pi Network price rose more than 5% toward $0.090 on Aug. 12 as the Protocol 26 deadline passed and softer U.S. inflation data supported speculative assets.
Summary
- Pi Network price rose more than 5% before settling near $0.088 during the session.
- Protocol 26’s Aug. 11 deadline required Mainnet node operators to update or lose connectivity.
- PI remains above its 20-day moving average at $0.0853, but below the 50-day average.
- A breakout above $0.096–$0.10 could open a path toward $0.12 and potentially $0.15.
Pi Network price action today
According to data from crypto.news, Pi Network (PI) price climbed more than 5% to approach $0.090 on Aug. 12, while trading activity reportedly increased by about 35%. PI traded near $0.0883 at the time of writing after giving back part of its intraday advance.
The move followed the Aug. 11 deadline for Mainnet node operators to complete the Protocol 26 upgrade. The Pi Core Team previously said nodes that missed the cutoff would lose Mainnet connectivity until they installed the required update.
No widespread network disruption had been reported by the time of writing. However, the team had not published figures showing how many operators completed the upgrade, making it difficult to confirm the participation rate across Pi Network’s node infrastructure.
Protocol 26 improves smart contract safety, state management, interoperability, and cryptographic functions. The upgrade is also intended to prepare the network for Protocol 27, the final planned step in the current protocol update sequence.
Cooling US inflation supports PI recovery
U.S. macroeconomic conditions provided a second tailwind for PI and the broader crypto market. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Consumer Price Index rose 0.1% in July and 3.4% from a year earlier.
Annual inflation slowed from 3.5% in June, while core CPI increased 0.2% month over month and 2.5% annually. Both annual readings eased from the previous month.
Slower inflation can reduce pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates further. Lower rate expectations generally support risk assets by improving liquidity conditions, although PI’s immediate move remained closely tied to the network upgrade and retail trading activity.
PI’s price is still more than 95% below its February 2025 peak, leaving the token exposed to sharp swings as short-term traders respond to technical breakouts and project updates.
Supply also remains an important risk. Data attributed to PiScan indicates that approximately 775.8 million PI could be unlocked by the end of 2026. Unlocks do not guarantee immediate selling, but they may increase the amount of PI available in the market if recipients choose to sell.
PI price holds above short-term support
The daily chart shows PI trading above its 20-day simple moving average at $0.0853. Reclaiming the average marks an improvement from the sustained downtrend that pushed the token from above $0.20 in March to a July low near $0.071.
Bull-bear power has also turned slightly positive at 0.00166, indicating that buyers have gained limited control around the current range. Price has nevertheless failed to produce a decisive trend reversal.
PI remains below the 50-day moving average at $0.0961, which forms the first major resistance zone. The 100-day and 200-day averages sit much higher at $0.1215 and $0.1489, respectively, showing that the broader daily trend remains bearish.
A daily close above $0.096 would strengthen the recovery case and place the psychological $0.10 level in focus. Clearing both barriers could allow buyers to target the 100-day average near $0.12.
Failure to hold $0.0853 would weaken the current setup. Sellers could then test $0.080, followed by the July support area between $0.071 and $0.075.
4-hour indicators show weak but improving momentum
PI’s 4-hour chart shows price consolidating between approximately $0.085 and $0.092 after recovering from the late-July low. Buyers have repeatedly defended the lower end of the range, but rallies have lost momentum around $0.090–$0.093.
The 4-hour Relative Strength Index stood at 49.79, just below the neutral 50 level. The reading shows that selling pressure has eased without confirming strong bullish momentum.
MACD offered a slightly more constructive signal. Its histogram turned positive at 0.00006 as the MACD line moved above the signal line, although both remained below zero. The setup points to an early recovery attempt rather than a confirmed breakout.
A 4-hour close above $0.093 would improve the short-term structure and expose the $0.096–$0.10 resistance zone. Losing $0.085, however, would invalidate the immediate bullish setup and raise the risk of another move toward $0.080.
Analyst sees $0.15 target after triangle breakout
Crypto analyst Crypto With Gopal said PI was compressing between descending resistance and rising support, creating a large triangle pattern.
According to the analyst’s chart, a clean break above approximately $0.10 could trigger a larger move toward $0.15. Such a move would require PI to reclaim its 50-day and 100-day moving averages before challenging the 200-day average near the analyst’s target.
Until PI closes above $0.10, the pattern remains unconfirmed. The token’s position below its major long-term averages and the pending supply unlocks continue to limit the strength of the bullish case.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
