Yesterday, I noticed an interesting situation around Pi Network. Amid the technical announcement about the mainnet update to Protocol 21, a real wave of dissatisfaction erupted in the comments. And it's not so much about the update itself, but about the accumulated verification issues.

For context: Pi Network set a strict deadline for node operators — everyone had to update by April 6, or they would lose connection to the network. This is part of the preparation for a larger update, v23.0. The process makes sense from a technical perspective — each mainnet update strengthens stability, and node operators verify transactions and maintain consensus.

But here’s the interesting part. Under the announcement, people started sharing stories about KYC, which has been pending for years. One guy wrote that he has been mining Pi since launch but still hasn't received a slot for verification. Another shared that his KYC has been stuck for three years, even though he has met almost all the requirements. Hundreds of similar comments.

This raises a more serious question. If the participation of node operators declines, and user verification slows down, then Pi mainnet risks consolidating around a small number of players. This is exactly what the network was originally created to prevent — decentralization. The paradox is that technically everything is moving forward, but the ecosystem is under pressure.

So far, the Pi team has not publicly responded to the wave of complaints. Node operators have already gone through the update, but millions of regular participants are still waiting to access what they have been mining. It will be interesting to see how this develops further.