Mainnet Protocol Version Updated to v26
OrbitWatch's Horizon API monitoring detected:
Mainnet protocol_version has officially switched to 26.
The switch occurred at ledger sequence 28187557.
You can verify this directly on the Block Explorer: 👉 blockexplorer.minepi.com
Full Timeline of This Upgrade
Aug 4-5 Node software automatically pulled v26 container (OrbitWatch observation)
Aug 11 Node deadline
After Aug 11 Testnet 2 switched to v26, Mainnet remained v25
Aug 14 AM Mainnet protocol_version officially switched to v26 ✓ (Taiwan Time)
A comparison with previous upgrades:
V22 Node deadline Apr 27 → Mainnet switch Apr 30 (3 days difference)
V23 Node deadline May 19 → Mainnet switch May 22 (3 days difference)
V24 Node deadline Jun 2 → Mainnet switch Jun 5 (3 days difference)
V25 Node deadline Jun 18 → Mainnet switch Jul 22 (34 days difference)
V26 Node deadline Aug 11 → Mainnet switch Aug 14 (3 days difference)
V26 has returned to the V22-V24 rhythm. This time, the node side moved particularly early, automatically pulling and running the v26 container about a week before the deadline (around Aug 4-5), nearly two weeks faster than the V25 upgrade. The mainnet switch speed has also returned to normal, avoiding a repeat of V25's 34-day delay.
What Does v26 Bring?
When officially announced on July 29-30, V26 was characterized as a "major milestone," one of the final steps before the "final planned upgrade" V27. The announcement also stated that it improves contract security, state management, interoperability, and crypto-related capabilities.
Currently, the official team has not yet released detailed release notes for the specific technical content of v26. Therefore, its direct impact on general miners—such as changes to mining mechanisms or wallet functions—remains unclear.
OrbitWatch's Follow-up
Only one final step remains in the upgrade path: V27. The deadline for V27 is currently TBD, and the official team has not yet announced any timeline or technical details. We will continue to track updates to official documents and announcements.
Further Reading
- V26 deadline passed, nodes and Testnet 2 are ready, but mainnet is still v25
- Official Announcement of V26 Upgrade: Major Milestone, V27 is the Final Planned Upgrade
- Pi Network Protocol Upgrade Mechanism: From Node Deadline to Mainnet Switch
Data Source: Pi Network Horizon API (api.mainnet.minepi.com), Pi Network Block Explorer. All analyses do not constitute investment advice. OrbitWatch is an independent Pi Network ecosystem observatory and is not affiliated with the official Pi Network team.
Key Points
- •The Pi Network Mainnet `protocol_version` has officially switched to 26 at ledger sequence 28187557.
- •The V26 upgrade process was significantly faster than V25, returning to a 3-day gap between the node deadline and mainnet switch, with nodes pulling the v26 container early.
- •V26 is described as a "major milestone" and a penultimate step before the "final planned upgrade" V27, bringing improvements to contract security, state management, interoperability, and crypto-related capabilities, though detailed release notes are still pending.