# Pi Network Explores OUSD Utility as PI Falls 10% in a Week

By Simon Yoon

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/technology/28873
Published: 2026-10-09T10:44:08.000Z
Updated: 2026-10-09T10:44:08.000Z
Section: Technology

> Pi is keeping its native token central while exploring Open USD for rewards and ecosystem uses; Protocol 28 is scheduled for a planned Oct. 16 Mainnet upgrade.

Pi Network’s native token, Pi (PI), fell about 10% over the seven days through Oct. 9 as the network explored Open USD (OUSD) utility and prepared for a planned Protocol 28 Mainnet upgrade.

PI traded at $0.08163 in the Oct. 9 market snapshot, down 9.0% over seven days. Its 24-hour range was $0.07820 to $0.08289. UTC historical closes show PI declined about 10.3%, from $0.090064 on Oct. 1 to $0.080775 on Oct. 8.

Pi Network is exploring OUSD utility through its partnership with Open Standard, including Pioneer reward programs and broader uses across the Pi ecosystem. OUSD launched Sept. 30 and is available on Base, Ethereum, Solana and Tempo. The separate stablecoin is issued by Bridge, a Stripe company.

Pi has not announced a confirmed OUSD Mainnet integration date or disclosed reward amounts, eligibility rules or a launch date for a Pioneer program. The network has also kept PI as its primary crypto asset, with stablecoins serving a complementary role.

Neither announcement confirms a mechanism that would directly increase demand for PI. The stablecoin exploration is focused on uses such as commerce, payments and settlement that require relatively predictable prices.

Protocol 28 has reached Testnet ahead of its planned Oct. 16 Mainnet upgrade, following Protocol 27’s Mainnet deployment. The announcement describes improvements to delayed transaction-data handling, grouped smart-contract updates and safer changes to stored application data.

Node operators must upgrade to Protocol 28 by Oct. 13. The announcement does not state that the upgrade will change PI’s supply, introduce OUSD or create new direct demand for the token.

The next concrete deadline is the node-operator upgrade requirement on Oct. 13, ahead of the planned Mainnet rollout three days later.