How to Create a Token on Pump.fun — Complete Tutorial and Better Alternative (2026)

To create a token on Pump.fun, go to pump.fun, connect your Phantom wallet, enter a name, symbol, and image, then pay approximately 0.02 SOL. Your token launches on a bonding curve where the price increases with each purchase. If it reaches ~$69,000 market cap, it graduates to PumpSwap. However, under 2% of Pump.fun tokens ever graduate. This guide covers the full process and explains when launching directly with SolTokenCreator.io is the better choice.

How to Create a Token on Pump.fun

Step 1: Prepare Your Wallet

1. Install Phantom wallet (browser extension or mobile)
2. Add SOL to your wallet (minimum 0.05 SOL recommended)
3. Make sure you are on Solana mainnet

Step 2: Go to Pump.fun

1. Visit pump.fun in your browser
2. Click "Connect Wallet" and approve the connection
3. Click "Start a New Coin" or the creation button

Step 3: Enter Token Details

| Field | What to Enter | |-------|--------------| | Name | Your token's full name | | Ticker | Short symbol (3-5 characters) | | Description | Brief description of your token | | Image | Upload a logo (square, PNG recommended) | | Twitter | Optional social link | | Telegram | Optional community link | | Website | Optional website URL |

Step 4: Create the Token

1. Review your token details
2. Click "Create Coin"
3. Approve the transaction in your wallet (~0.02 SOL)
4. Your token is now live on the bonding curve

Step 5: Initial Buy (Optional)

After creation, you can immediately buy your own token. Many creators buy a small amount to show initial support and set an initial price floor.

What Happens After Creation

Bonding Curve Phase

Your token trades on a bonding curve:

• Starting price: Near zero
• Price mechanism: Each purchase increases the price along the curve
• Trading fee: 1% on every buy and sell
• Creator share: 0.05% of trading fees go to you

Graduation

If your token reaches approximately $69,000 market cap (~85 SOL in the bonding curve):

• Token automatically migrates to PumpSwap
• Liquidity is created on PumpSwap
• Trading continues with 0.25% fees (0.05% to creator)

The Graduation Problem

Under 2% of Pump.fun tokens ever graduate. This means:

• 98+ out of 100 tokens die on the bonding curve
• Early buyers lose their SOL when the token fails to reach graduation
• Most tokens peak within hours and then decline to zero

Pump.fun Fees Summary

| Fee | Amount | When | |-----|--------|------| | Token creation | ~0.02 SOL | One-time | | Trading (bonding curve) | 1% per trade | Every transaction | | Trading (PumpSwap) | 0.25% per trade | After graduation | | Creator revenue | 0.05% of fees | Ongoing |

What You Cannot Do on Pump.fun

| Feature | Available? | |---------|-----------| | Choose your own supply | No (fixed at 1 billion) | | Set custom decimals | No | | Set your own initial price | No (bonding curve determines price) | | Revoke mint authority | No | | Revoke freeze authority | No | | Create your own LP pool | No | | Burn LP tokens | No | | Burn tokens | No | | Use Token-2022 | No | | Add transfer fees | No | | Create OpenBook Market ID | No | | Remove liquidity | No | | Choose which DEX to list on | No |

The Better Alternative: Direct Launch

For creators who want control, SolTokenCreator.io provides everything Pump.fun cannot:

Side-by-Side Comparison

| Feature | Pump.fun | SolTokenCreator | |---------|----------|----------------| | Creation cost | ~0.02 SOL | 0.1 SOL | | Custom supply | No | Yes (any amount) | | Custom decimals | No | Yes (0-9) | | Token-2022 | No | Yes | | Transfer fees | No | Yes | | Set initial price | No | Yes (via LP ratio) | | LP pool control | None | Full (CPMM + AMM V4) | | Authority revocation | No | Yes | | Token burning | No | Yes | | Burn and Earn | No | Yes | | Market ID creation | No | Yes | | Immediate DEX listing | No (needs graduation) | Yes (instant on Raydium) | | Ongoing platform fees | Yes (1% + 0.25%) | No | | Full launch cost | ~0.02 SOL | ~0.65 SOL |

Why Direct Launch Wins

1. Immediate trading — Your token is on Raydium and Jupiter instantly. No graduation threshold to meet.

2. No graduation risk — 98%+ of Pump.fun tokens never graduate. With a direct launch, your token is always tradable.

3. Full control — Set your own supply, decimals, initial price, and liquidity amount.

4. No ongoing fees — Pump.fun takes 1% of every trade. Direct launch has zero platform fees.

5. Trust signals — Revoke authorities and burn LP to prove you cannot rug. These features do not exist on Pump.fun.

6. Token-2022 — Create tokens with built-in transfer fees for passive revenue on every trade.

How to Launch Directly (5 Minutes)

1. Create your token at SolTokenCreator.io (0.1 SOL)
2. Revoke authorities at Revoke Mint Authority (0.2 SOL)
3. Create CPMM pool at Create Liquidity Pool (~0.3 SOL)
4. Burn LP tokens at Burn LP (~0.05 SOL)
5. Done — Your token is live on Raydium and Jupiter

Total cost: ~0.65 SOL vs Pump.fun's ~0.02 SOL, but you get full control, no ongoing fees, and no graduation risk.

When Pump.fun Still Makes Sense

Pump.fun can be the right choice if:

• You want the absolute cheapest creation cost
• You want access to Pump.fun's large built-in audience
• You are launching a quick meme coin with no long-term plans
• You do not need custom tokenomics or post-launch management
• You are comfortable with the under 2% graduation rate

Tips for Pump.fun Success

If you do launch on Pump.fun:

1. Have a marketing plan ready — The bonding curve moves fast. You need buyers quickly.
2. Build community first — Have a Telegram group ready before launch
3. Use social media — Post your token on Twitter immediately after creation
4. Set realistic expectations — Most tokens do not graduate
5. Do not buy too much of your own token — High creator holdings get flagged

Migration Path

If you launched on Pump.fun but want more control for your next project, use SolTokenCreator:

• Create tokens with full customization
• Revoke authorities on any Solana token
• Burn tokens from any token
• Create LP pools on Raydium

Related Guides

• Pump.fun Alternatives — All alternatives compared
• Pump.fun Fees Explained — Complete fee breakdown
• SolTokenCreator vs Pump.fun — Detailed comparison
• How to Create a Meme Coin on Solana — Full meme coin guide
• Cheapest Solana Token Creator — Cost comparison
• Fair Launch vs Presale vs Bonding Curve — Launch models compared
• Create Your Token with Full Control — Launch directly