Latest Pi (PI) Price Analysis

By CMC AI
28 January 2026 02:03PM (UTC+0)

TLDR

Pi (PI) rose 0.92% over the last 24h to $0.173. This minor uptick contrasts with a 2.91% weekly loss and a 14.38% monthly decline, suggesting a tentative bounce within a broader downtrend. The move slightly lagged the total crypto market cap's 2.58% gain. Here are the main factors:

  1. Testnet Development (Bullish Catalyst) – USDT integration on the testnet signals progress, offering a short-term sentiment boost.

  2. Persistent Supply Pressure (Bearish Overhang) – A large upcoming token unlock of ~134 million PI in January 2026 continues to cap upside momentum.

  3. Oversold Technical Bounce (Neutral) – Deeply oversold RSI levels created conditions for a minor technical rebound.

Deep Dive

1. Testnet Development (Bullish Impact)

Overview: On January 27, 2026, Pi Network launched Tether USD (USDT) transaction capabilities on its testnet (Crypto.news). This allows Pioneers to test DeFi features in a controlled environment before mainnet deployment.

What this means: While not a mainnet launch, this development demonstrates ongoing ecosystem building. It provides a tangible use-case narrative (stablecoin transactions) that can temporarily improve community sentiment and attract speculative interest, contributing to short-term buying pressure.

What to look out for: Any official timeline for mainnet deployment or new exchange listings, which would be a more significant catalyst.

2. Token Unlock Overhang (Bearish Impact)

Overview: Analysis consistently highlights a major headwind: nearly 134 million PI tokens are scheduled to unlock in January 2026 (CoinGape).

What this means: This impending supply increase creates a powerful overhang on the price. Long-term holders gaining access to liquid tokens may sell, especially after a 90%+ decline from all-time highs. This structural selling pressure limits the scale and sustainability of any rally, keeping rallies like the past 24 hours' muted.

3. Oversold Technical Conditions (Mixed Impact)

Overview: Technical indicators show PI was deeply oversold. The 14-day RSI recently fell below 30 and has rebounded to 24.2, while the 7-day RSI is at 20.78.

What this means: An RSI below 30 typically signals an asset is oversold and may be due for a corrective bounce as selling exhausts. The minor 24h price rise aligns with this technical relief. However, with the MACD histogram still negative at -0.00238, the broader momentum remains bearish, suggesting this could be a temporary pause rather than a trend reversal.

Conclusion

The 24h uptick is a minor technical bounce fueled by a positive testnet update, but it remains heavily constrained by looming token unlocks and a dominant bearish trend. For holders, this highlights the tension between incremental development progress and overwhelming supply-side pressure.

Key watch: Monitor the $0.162–$0.173 support zone; a break below could target new lows, while a sustained move above the 7-day SMA (~$0.179) is needed to signal stronger buying interest.

CMC AI can make mistakes. Not financial advice.