On March 13, 2025, Pi Network announced the implementation of two-factor authentication (2FA) to secure user accounts and Pi coins during the transition to the Open Network mainnet.
What is Two-Factor Authentication and How Does it Work?
Two-factor authentication is an extra layer of security that ensures your Pi Wallet truly belongs to you, linking your account to a trusted email address. This step is essential for completing the migration of Pi to the mainnet. Without 2FA, your migration might fail, or you could lose access to your Pi later.
Setting Up a Trusted Email for 2FA
To use 2FA, a trusted email is necessary. If it's already linked to your Pi account, you can initiate 2FA with it. Otherwise, the Pi app will ask for a 'liveness check' to confirm you're the email owner. Only users who've passed at least tentative Know Your Customer (KYC) verification can now add a trusted email. This email is also vital for account recovery if you forget your password.
Consequences of Not Completing 2FA
If 2FA isn't completed, your Pi might get sent back to the mining app even if the migration to the mainnet has begun. This occurs during a 14-day waiting period for transaction accuracy checks. Completing 2FA before this period ends ensures successful pi transfer to the mainnet.
Pi Network uses 2FA and the return process to ensure user security. Since the Pi Wallet is noncustodial, these extra steps help prevent loss of funds, guaranteeing that your holdings remain in your hands.
