Token Launch Guide for Solana Builders: I found the only platform that doesn't play people for suckers.

An experienced cryptocurrency project launcher shares practical experience from 50 projects, revealing pitfalls of launch platforms and providing a complete token launch strategy. This article is sourced from a piece by TM, compiled, translated, and written by AididiaoJP and Foresight News. (Background: Western Union announces the adoption of Solana as a stablecoin chain, issuing USDPT as the main circulating token) (Supplementary Background: Trump appears at the U.S. Capitol with a Bitcoin statue, reaching 3.6 meters tall, made by the meme community Pump.fun) I have tried all crypto launch platforms and ultimately found that the only one that does not Be Played for Suckers is it. In this article, I will share all my experiences regarding cryptocurrency project launches for free. I am tired of launch platforms deceiving true builders. If you seriously want to build a crypto project or deploy your startup on-chain, this will be an important article you read. I personally have launched about 50 projects: from meme to large projects, from tiny 500,000 social media experiments to launches with a market capitalization exceeding 30 million USD. 1. Pre-launch: Why launching is so important In the crypto world, issuing coins is everything. Because in the 24 hours after issuing coins, the project will experience the highest volume of transactions for a period of time. All eyes are on you. Speculators speculate, technology is tested, this is the true use case of cryptocurrencies. If it weren't for launching, why create a token? Not every project needs a token. In fact, tokens can become a huge burden. Once you launch a token, it is forever tied to your project. Everyone will measure your success by its price, which certainly tells the truth, but can also be misleading. Not everything can be accomplished overnight. “The best projects do not need tokens” is a misconception. Most consumer-facing projects should have a token. It allows users to participate and own a part of the ecosystem. On the other hand, enterprise-facing projects rarely benefit. They find it difficult to define real token utility and often launch a token just to exit liquidity. Your token launch will be the most important business decision you make in the crypto space. You need to know exactly: what you are doing, why you are doing it, and how you will execute it. 2. Tokenomics and supply strategy The golden rule: The tokens owned by the project itself should not exceed 30% of the total supply. You need to keep most of the tokens in circulation. If you hold 90% and only 10% is in circulation, that's a problem; the situation of Bitcoin does not apply here. You are not launching a store of value; you are launching an on-chain growth startup. Brief data: Pump Fun's binding curve usually sits at about 75,000 - 100,000 USD market capitalization, around 50 SOL (dynamic). The goal is to invest about 15 SOL (20-30% of total funds) and allocate it to 5-10 new wallets. Key operation: Always inject funds from centralized exchanges (CEX). Why? Because you do not want anyone to trace these wallets back to you. Do not send the entire 15 SOL to one wallet and then split from there; send 3 SOL to each of the five wallets instead. Otherwise, these funds will show up as bundled later. 3. Choosing a launch platform Let's talk about launch platforms. I mentioned that Pump Fun is currently the best option. All other platforms (Bonk, Jupiter, Believe, etc.) are scamming, and I have tested them all. Here are the things not to do: Never pay “launch consultants”. They will ask for 1-5% of the tokens plus extra compensation (ECA), and then they will drain your project dry. Most of them have never successfully launched any project themselves, and I have yet to see a great project guided by them. The best launchers in this game are those seasoned meme coin traders, usually supported by their own small circles. So don’t pay consultants, and do not beg for their attention; most of them will chew you up. A metaphor: You can seek advice, but in the end, you have to go in yourself. Pump Fun does not provide much guidance, but at least they don’t scam. No fees, no hidden percentages, no transaction taxes. Just that makes them the best. Don't ask me about your “innovative new launch platform”. This field does not need more launch platforms; Pump has already provided everything needed for one-click launches. What we need are innovative projects launching there, with real developers and liquidity. 4. Launch: The execution moment Now is the time, the most important day. Set aside 5-10 hours, do not rush; every second is critical. Step-by-step: Inject 0.5-2 SOL into your development wallet. Allocate the remaining SOL to your auxiliary wallets. Before launching, create Pump Fun accounts for each wallet. About sniper bots: Previously: You would immediately sell the tokens in the development wallet due to sniper bots. Nowadays: Bots are rare unless your coin is heavily hyped. Key strategy: Never disclose the launch date. That is suicide; the best launches happen secretly, and always will. I usually do a soft launch, observe early dynamics, and only promote once I confirm there are no snipers. If there are bots, either wait for them to leave or (only applicable to meme coins) sell the tokens in the development wallet. But serious projects should retain it. In highly hyped situations, you can even launch multiple tokens (just like Kanye did). No one cares which is the “original token”, especially for utility tokens. 5. Magic numbers Development wallet: < 5% of total supply Meme/art projects: keep below 3% Team total: maximum 20-30% Buying strategy: Start buying from auxiliary wallets - proceed slowly. First purchase: maximum 1-2 SOL. Never let a single wallet hold more tokens than the development wallet. If this happens, split or repurchase. All operations are manual. Do not use bots/tools. Experience and intuition will protect you from snipers and suspicious patterns. Timing for announcement: When the volume surges and you feel the binding curve is near, announce on Twitter. Before that, ensure everything is ready, especially your DEX banner (about 300 USD, annoying but crucial). It showcases “serious projects”. 6. After the launch Be prepared for chaos: 1-3 sleepless nights Emotional rollercoaster: love → hate → love → death threats → silence Market cycle: momentum → hype → reversal → despair → rebirth This is the cycle, every time the same. Cryptocurrency is purely about trends and narratives. If you cannot maintain the hype, even the best product in the world is useless. No project becomes popular purely based on fundamentals in the crypto space. A few fundamental projects had not issued tokens at the time. Related reports: Solana founder criticizes Ethereum L2: not only does it not inherit Ethereum's security, but also erodes L1 revenue.