Pi Network node upgrade fuels 11% PI surge as $0.20 resistance looms
Pi Network (PI) rallied about 8–11% into mid-February as traders positioned ahead of a mandatory mainnet node upgrade with a 15 February 2026 deadline. The Pi Core Team requires all mainnet nodes to complete the first upgrade phase by that date or be dropped from consensus, a rule that has concentrated community attention and driven short-term buying. The project says over 16 million users have migrated to mainnet, which the team cites as evidence of network traction as it shifts toward a more decentralized mainnet using the Stellar Consensus Protocol. On-chain and node metrics (uptime and compliance) are now key fundamentals to watch because they determine whether decentralization is substantive or symbolic. Technically, PI showed a breakout from a long-term bullish wedge, a MACD bullish crossover and an RSI recovery from oversold — signals supporting renewed buying momentum. Immediate resistance lies at $0.20–$0.21; a clean break above that zone could target the $0.267–$0.28 supply area, while rejection near $0.20 would point to lingering weakness. Broader-market context (BTC price action) and models such as CoinCodex — which project both downside scenarios and longer-term targets — add risk and longer-term perspective. Traders should monitor upgrade completion rates, node participation and redundancy, the $0.20 resistance level, and Bitcoin’s price for short-term trade triggers and to assess whether recent gains are sustainable.
Bullish
The news is net bullish for PI because the mandatory node-upgrade deadline and visible migration to mainnet create a clear catalyst that has already driven price gains and technical breakouts. Short-term bullish signals include a breakout from a long-term wedge, MACD bullish crossover and RSI recovery, all of which support further upside if buyers hold above the $0.20 resistance. Node-compliance risk and broader-market weakness (notably BTC swings) introduce downside risk; models cited in earlier coverage also show possible short-term retracement. For traders: near-term price action will hinge on upgrade completion rates and whether $0.20 turns into support — a sustained break higher increases the likelihood of moves toward the $0.267–$0.28 supply zone, while failure near $0.20 would likely trigger pullbacks and testing of lower support. Overall, the event creates a constructive technical and fundamental setup, but execution risk (node drops, low uptime) and macro liquidity could flip sentiment quickly.