Pi Network's first Ecosystem Summit is set to end with a hackathon whose prize pool is paid in a stablecoin rather than the project's own token. The choice raises a question for $PI holders: where will demand for the token come from once developers start building?

The online event runs from Nov. 17 to 19. According to Pi Network's published schedule, it culminates in the launch of Pi Next, a hackathon with a $200,000 USDT prize pool. TokenPost reported that participation details are due on Nov. 19, the final day, though the schedule does not say who can enter or how entries will be judged.

Developer Tools That Do Not Require PI

Ahead of the summit, the Pi Core Team (@PiCoreTeam) announced four developer updates on Oct. 29. They cover the Developer Portal, Pi BlockExplorer, SoloHost and PiVerify, according to CryptoPotato.

The SoloHost update is the clearest example of a tool that works without PI. A new skill lets AI coding assistants such as Claude Code, Cursor or Codex prepare apps for publication through Pi Desktop, CryptoPotato said. Developers can use it to package and distribute software, and nothing in the update describes a PI payment requirement for that step.

PiVerify Is the Exception

PiVerify is different. It is the project's identity-verification service for outside businesses, and Bitbase reported that Pi says businesses using it pay in PI. TokenPost noted that the October update gave no customer or revenue totals for the service. The latest additions include face uniqueness and multi-liveness checks meant to help businesses spot duplicate identities, Tron Weekly reported.

That makes PiVerify one of the few clear external uses of $PI so far. Whether it, or any app built during the hackathon, can generate demand beyond mining remains unproven. A crypto.news analysis described the USDT prize pool as a developer incentive with its own currency and purpose, and said a demonstration that runs from acquiring the token to a delivered service would show more than a price chart.

The market backdrop is weak. Bitbase reported that PI bounced nearly 15% from an all-time low of $0.0626 on Nov. 9 to around $0.072, while 24-hour trading volume fell roughly 29%. Without sustained use of the token, the demand shortfall is likely to persist.

Sources:

Pi Network: Ecosystem Summit Schedule
TokenPost: Pi Network Sets 200,000 USDT Prize Pool for Pi Next Hackathon
crypto.news: Pi Network has more tools. Where is the demand for PI?