- Pump.fun will launch its $PUMP ICO on July 12, aiming to raise $600 million.
- U.S. and UK users are barred from the ICO, with KYC required via pump.fun or exchanges.
- Critics warn that the full unlock of 33% token supply could destabilize the memecoin market.
Pump.fun, the Solana-based meme coin launchpad, has announced the official launch of its native token, PUMP, via an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) set for July 12. The offering will release 33% of the total 1 trillion token supply at a fixed price of $0.004 per token, with trading to follow on major centralized exchanges, including Bybit, Kraken, KuCoin, Bitget, MEXC, and Gate.io.
Of the 33%, 18% has been allocated to private investors, while 15%, or 150 billion tokens, will be made available to the public during the July 12–15 public sale window. All PUMP tokens will be fully unlocked at launch, offering immediate liquidity and access. The PUMP token will serve as the core utility asset for the Pump.fun protocol, marking a key step in the platform’s roadmap.
Participants can access the token sale either via the Pump.fun website or through supported exchanges, subject to KYC verification. Nevertheless, regulatory limitations prevent users in the United States and the United Kingdom from joining. The token sale operates on a first-come, first-served basis, and purchases may be made using USDT, USDC, SOL, or select exchange-specific tokens. Pump.fun estimates that the ICO could raise up to $600 million.
The remaining token supply has been split across other key areas. The remaining amount, around 24%, is set aside for ecosystem and community projects, 20% for the team, and 13% for existing investors. The smaller percentages would support liquidity, a foundation fund, live streaming incentives, and a specialized ecosystem fund. This level of detail is expected to address market concerns regarding allocation clarity. However, some analysts have pointed out that general team and investor allocations would still be a burden on community confidence.
Meme Coin Platforms Test Community Trust and Hype Limits
As meme coin platforms like Pump.fun gain traction on major exchanges, questions surrounding legitimacy and transparency have intensified. Pump.fun’s leadership describes the PUMP launch as an effort to create a decentralized social platform rivaling Facebook, TikTok, and Twitch. Co-founder Alon Cohen said the company chose the ICO model to “distribute tokens amongst a vast audience who are genuinely aligned with the project.” He also revealed that the team is considering various token utility mechanisms, such as fee rebates and token buybacks.
Despite this, prominent voices within the Solana community have warned that the scale of the sale could extract large sums from an already fragile market. Bonk Guy, a prominent Solana memecoin supporter, pointed out that earlier ICO reports led to steep declines in popular tokens such as FARTCOIN, WIF, and POPCAT.
Related: Pump.fun Provides Updated Livestreaming Feature to All Users
These performances have led some analysts to view the ICO as a response to declining momentum, with Pump.fun’s memecoin trading volume having dropped nearly 75% since January 2025. Skepticism has grown further due to the timing of the sale, which comes amid slowing activity and rising competition from platforms like LetsBonk, now reportedly outpacing Pump.fun in daily revenues.
The platform’s growth has nonetheless been record-breaking, reaching $100 million, $300 million, and $500 million in revenue faster than any previous crypto startup, driven by its focus on easy, viral meme coin launches.
