- Pi Network halts wallet payment requests after large-scale scams target users.
- Scammers exploit public balances and impersonate trusted contacts.
- PI trades around $0.20 amid low liquidity and token unlocks.
Pi Network has temporarily disabled the wallet payment request feature in response to a surge in sophisticated scam activity that has resulted in the loss of millions of PI tokens from user wallets.
This action, announced by the Pi Core team on the social platform X, comes as attackers increasingly abuse the payment request function to trick users into approving fraudulent transfers.
On-chain data shared by community observers and reporting sources indicate that scammers have siphoned off more than 4.4 million PI by sending deceptive payment requests to holders with large balances.
One single fraudulent address reportedly received hundreds of thousands of tokens each month during 2025.
Tokens approved via these requests are immediately transferred to the attacker’s wallet and cannot be reversed, leaving victims with no remedy after they confirm a transfer.
The Pi Core team emphasized that the issue arises from social engineering rather than a flaw in the network protocol.
Because wallet addresses and balances are publicly visible on the Pi blockchain, bad actors can identify valuable wallets and impersonate trusted contacts, friends, moderators, or even official accounts to persuade users to authorize transfers.
To prevent further losses, the network disabled the payment request feature across its ecosystem while evaluating potential security measures.
The suspension is intended to be temporary, but the team has not provided a specific timeline for restoring the feature.
In the meantime, community moderators and security advocates are urging users to decline any unsolicited payment requests.
Scam tactics and wider security concerns
Experts and user reports suggest these incidents are part of a broader rise in deceptive schemes targeting Pi users.
Scammers employ a wide range of tactics, from phishing links that promise fake airdrops or price promotions to spoofed portals that request wallet login details or private keys, potentially enabling full account takeovers.
The core Pi Network team has repeatedly warned against sharing sensitive information or engaging with unverified links circulating on social networks and messaging platforms.
While independent analysts do not generally classify Pi Network itself as an outright fraudulent project, its rapid growth, mobile-first model, and referral-based incentives have attracted attention and made its large user base a target for scammers.
Users are advised to stick strictly to official communication channels and exercise extreme caution when interacting with unverifiable contacts.
Impact on the PI token price
The payment-request suspension coincides with mixed sentiment around the PI token’s market performance.
Although some price forecasts remain optimistic, PI is trading near $0.20, roughly flat over the past two weeks.
Notably, the token’s price has been pressured by low liquidity and ongoing token unlocks, which have released significant supply into circulation in recent months.
The market has struggled to absorb the increased supply, and daily trading volumes remain subdued.
Investors and users should consider these liquidity dynamics and security developments when assessing the token and the platform’s short-term outlook.