Published 18 October 2026

How to Launch a Coin on Pump.fun: A Beginner's Walkthrough

Launching a coin on pump.fun takes about a minute of effort, which is both the appeal and the problem. Because creation is free and instant, tens of thousands of coins appear every day according to Ledger's academy guide, and most vanish. This article explains the official launch process, what is permanent once you press the button, what you can earn and what you cannot control. It is not a recommendation to launch anything, and it is certainly not a promise of results.

What launching actually means

On pump.fun, "launching" means creating a token on Solana that is immediately tradable on a bonding curve. The official create-coin page says there is no liquidity to seed, no presale and no team allocation. The price follows a deterministic formula, and every buy moves it up while every sell moves it down.

Ledger's guide adds a useful detail: each launch generates one billion tokens, with 800 million allocated to the bonding curve. When enough tokens have sold, the coin graduates to the PumpSwap exchange. The platform's docs say graduation is automatic and irreversible, with no human step.

Why does this matter to a creator? Because you are not building a project in the conventional sense. You are releasing a tradable asset into a crowded feed and hoping people care.

Before you launch: honest questions

Do you have an idea people could rally around? The platform documentation says coins with linked socials tend to get more attention in discovery, but that is a tendency, not a rule.
Can you afford to lose any money you put in? Creating is free, but you may be tempted to buy your own coin.
Are you prepared for the legal side? Pump.fun's create page says to read the terms and trademark guidelines because coins violating either may be removed. Using a brand you do not own is a quick route to trouble.
Are you in an eligible location? The terms prohibit use from certain jurisdictions and require legal age.

If you are not sure about any of these, spend time as an observer first. The sign-up guide explains how to get set up without trading.

Step-by-step: the official flow

The following comes from pump.fun's "How to create a coin" documentation.

1. Sign in and have a wallet ready

The docs say to open pump.fun and connect a Solana wallet such as Phantom, Solflare or Backpack, or sign in with email via Privy, in which case a wallet is generated for you. Note that a separate notice says web sign-in with browser wallets was retired on September 25, 2026 in favour of email, Google, Apple or GitHub sign-in. The create page and the notice may not match perfectly, so follow whichever method the live site offers.

2. Go to the create page

It sits at the top right of the sidebar, per the docs. You will fill in:

Name: the full name of the coin.
Symbol or ticker: short, in capitals, typically three to six characters.
Description: a short blurb shown on the coin page and in previews.
Image: square, ideally 512 by 512 pixels in PNG or JPG.
Socials (optional): links to X, Telegram or a website.

Ledger recommends adding social links and media beyond the minimum, since traders usually expect more.

3. Sign the launch transaction

Approve the transaction in your wallet. The docs state that there is no fee to create a coin, and the fee page lists creation at 0 SOL or 0 USDC. You will still pay a small Solana network fee for the transaction, and per Solana's documentation, network fees are charged even if a transaction fails.

4. Your coin goes live on the curve

The first trade can happen immediately. After that, the market decides.

What is permanent

The create page is blunt: "Name, symbol, and image are immutable. They're part of the SPL token metadata." Decide on the brand before you sign. You cannot fix a typo or swap an image later. If you misspell your ticker, the only remedy is launching a new coin.

How creators earn, and the limits

Per the fee page, a creator receives a portion of the total fee on every trade, called the creator fee. On the bonding curve the total fee is 1.25%, of which 0.30% is the creator fee. After graduation, the creator share on PumpSwap canonical pools varies with market cap, starting at 0.30% and rising to 0.95% in the 420 to 1,470 SOL market cap band before declining at higher caps.

Two cautions:

Fees depend on trading volume. Without buyers, there is nothing to collect.
Graduation has a cost. The fee page lists 0.015 SOL when a coin graduates to PumpSwap.

Creators can also set up fee sharing across several recipients using the Pump SDK, according to its documentation, and the SDK notes that the split can be set up once only, so check recipients and shares carefully.

The honest odds

Everything in this article describes a mechanism, not an outcome. Independent research paints a sobering picture. Solidus Labs reported that of more than 7 million tokens created on the platform in its sample, only about 97,000 retained over $1,000 of liquidity. An arXiv study identifies manipulation strategies including wash trading, copycat coins and coordinated selling, and says automated actors often act directly on the blockchain. Most launches fade quickly.

If you do launch, do not promise returns to anyone. Pump.fun's callouts terms ask users to avoid misleading statements and to disclose compensation. In many places, promoting tokens with false claims can be unlawful. Get local advice if you are unsure.

Ethics and safety for creators

Do not use deceptive branding. Respect trademarks.
Disclose your holdings when you promote your own coin.
Do not wash trade or coordinate fake volume. The platform's terms prohibit manipulation and the arXiv paper documents how common it is.
Protect your keys. A creator wallet holds fee income and is a target. See pump fun wallet security tips.
Do not put in money you cannot lose. See pump fun risk management.

Launching versus trading

Launching shifts you from trader to participant who may be held to different standards. It also exposes you to liability and to the attention of both fans and scammers. If you simply want to understand what you would be buying, read how to buy memecoins on pump.fun safely and pump fun fees explained. To compare other platforms, see pump fun vs other launchpads.

About the referral code

I share referral code NEWUSER50 and may earn if you sign up through the link. I'm not affiliated with pump.fun, and I do not claim the code improves fees or launch results. The homepage has the link.

Try it yourself

Need an account first? Open the join page and carry NEWUSER50 into your sign-up.

Referral code: NEWUSER50 — https://pump.fun/join/NEWUSER50

Frequently asked questions

Does it cost anything to launch?

The fee page lists creation at 0 SOL / 0 USDC. You will still pay a small Solana network fee.

Can I change the name or image later?

No. The create page says name, symbol and image are immutable.

What happens when a coin graduates?

Liquidity migrates to PumpSwap automatically, and a 0.015 SOL graduation fee applies, per the fee page.

Will my coin succeed?

Most do not. Nothing in this article suggests otherwise.

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