Pi Network has addressed one of the biggest concerns inside the community lately, the “Tentative KYC” status. As the network keeps expanding, Pi revealed that more than 18.1 million users have now passed KYC verification, while over 16.7 million users have already migrated to Mainnet.
According to Pi, KYC remains one of the most important parts of the ecosystem because the entire network runs on a strict “one person, one account” system. The idea is to keep bots, fake accounts, and duplicate users out while protecting real Pioneers and keeping mining rewards fair.
So, What Does “Tentative KYC” Actually Mean?
Pi clarified that Tentative KYC does not mean your application was rejected.
Instead, it simply means the system needs a few extra checks before giving final approval. Some users may be asked to complete liveness checks, while others could go through additional reviews depending on their case.
Pi says these extra steps are important because allowing fake or duplicate accounts onto Mainnet could hurt the ecosystem long term.
To make things faster, the network has now rolled out new AI-powered upgrades behind the scenes. According to Pi, the updated system combines AI models, liveness verification, and application analysis to process applications more efficiently.
The company says millions of Tentative accounts have already been moved into eligible status, while the overall KYC backlog has also been reduced significantly.
Community Starts Discussing “Step 8” Again
The update also sparked renewed discussion about the mysterious “Step 8” issue many users still face.
I recall PiCoreTeam mentioning the KYC categorization to include palm authentication. Those who are currently on step 8 haven’t received palm authentication yet. So, what’s the next step? pic.twitter.com/4h7mV9N3PG
— 𝕏 FireSide | Pi π (@fireside_pi) May 13, 2026
A Pi-focused community account pointed out that the Pi Core Team had previously mentioned palm authentication as part of future KYC verification upgrades.
The account questioned what the next step could be for users currently stuck on Step 8 who still haven’t received any palm authentication requests yet.
Why Pi Says Strict KYC Matters
Pi says stricter verification is necessary to protect the ecosystem as the network grows.
Without proper KYC checks, duplicate accounts could enter Mainnet, mining rewards could become unfair, and apps built on Pi would struggle to trust user authenticity.
According to the team, verified participation will ultimately support future payments, digital services, commerce apps, and other real-world utilities built on the network.
