What can I buy with 13000 Pi coins after six years of mining?

Since yesterday, my university group chat has been buzzing with speculation after news broke that Pi Network’s cryptocurrency might soon be listed on an exchange. Friends are debating whether to save, buy a house, or purchase a car.

One friend, who has logged in daily for six years to mine Pi, has accumulated 13,000 coins. They shared a post claiming someone was offering VND86,000 (US$3.38) per Pi. "We are about to become billionaires," they joked.

Meanwhile, two others eagerly discussed which car to buy for under VND1 billion—a Mercedes or a BMW—dismissing the supposed VND86,000-per-Pi valuation.

I did a quick calculation: at that price, my friend’s 13,000 Pi coins would be worth nearly VND1.2 billion. That would mean earning VND550,000 per day—equivalent to a monthly salary of VND16 million, the total savings of an office worker who spends nothing for six years.

I asked if they had managed to sell their Pi. "Still waiting for the price to rise," they replied. I checked the Facebook profile of the supposed buyer—it was empty, likely a fake account.

Historically, the U.S. dollar was backed by gold, requiring central banks to hold gold reserves for every dollar printed. This gold standard was later abandoned as economic growth and speculation caused inflation, making fiat currency the norm. Money has always been complicated.

For those who have mined Pi for six years, it might feel like wealth falling from the sky. But the fundamental question remains: what gives Pi its value?

If people keep buying and selling among themselves, someone will inevitably be left holding the bag.