Pi Network Faces Centralization Challenges As Vietnam Dominates Its Node Operations

Pi Network was once introduced as a global, decentralized project that empowers users instead of traditional centralized organizations. However, this project is currently facing a serious challenge: an excessive dependence on a single country – Vietnam. According to the latest data, Vietnam is currently operating 154 out of a total of 319 global Pi nodes, accounting for about 48% of the entire network. Among the 76 active nodes, as many as 33 nodes are located in Vietnam. This means that nearly half of the operations of the Pi system depend on a single country – a significant risk in any decentralized system. Strict laws in Vietnam regarding cryptocurrency The concern has become more serious as Vietnam lacks a clear legal framework, and even has restrictive aspects regarding cryptocurrency. According to current regulations, Pi Coin is not recognized as a legal means of payment in Vietnam. Individuals using Pi for transactions may face administrative fines ranging from 50 to 100 million dong, equivalent to 2,000 to 4,000 USD, and may even face criminal liability. Not stopping there, the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam has recently proposed regulations requiring that only licensed organizations are allowed to hold and manage crypto assets. If approved, this will directly impact "miners" and Pi node operators in Vietnam, and could even completely disrupt the network's operations. The issue is not just about geography: Is decentralization just talk? In addition to its geographical focus, Pi Network also faces serious concerns about its internal control mechanism. According to data from Piscan, more than 60.7 billion Pi Coin (trên a total of 100 tỷ) are currently in wallets held by the Pi Foundation itself – equivalent to more than 60% of the total supply. Notably, the Pi network currently has only two validator nodes (, and both are owned by the development team. This raises doubts among many about the project's true "decentralization", as most of the control remains in the hands of a small group. The community begins to speak out Many members of the community have expressed dissatisfaction and suspicion. A user on Reddit commented: "As long as the development team holds a large portion of the coins, this network will never truly be decentralized." In addition, the community has also warned about the emergence of many spoof tokens using the name of Pi to appropriate users' data or money. On March 2, the Hanoi Police also warned that many citizens are being blindly swept along by the Pi wave, not fully understanding the actual risks behind this project. Reaffirm the mission or accept losing the ideal? If Pi Network truly wants to become a project "of the people, for the people", then they need to take specific and urgent actions. Reducing dependence on a single country like Vietnam, expanding the verification system globally, and being more transparent in the token distribution mechanism are imperative. Otherwise, Pi is very likely to become a project dominated by a small group – which is completely contrary to the ideals it once committed to.