How to check if a Solana token is a rug pull: the 7-point pre-buy checklist

Most Solana rugs are not sophisticated. The same handful of mechanisms — an unrevoked mint authority, a freeze switch, unlocked liquidity, a deployer with a history — account for the overwhelming majority of losses. The tragedy is that every one of them is checkable on-chain before you buy, in under two minutes. This is the checklist, in the order that catches the most scams fastest.

1Mint authority — can they print more?

If mint authority is not revoked, the deployer can mint unlimited new tokens at any moment, diluting your holdings to zero and dumping. This single check catches a huge share of rugs.

2Freeze authority — can they lock your tokens?

An active freeze authority lets the deployer freeze your token account — you can buy but can never sell. This is the classic honeypot mechanism on Solana.

3Liquidity — is the LP burned or locked?

When liquidity is pulled, the price goes to zero instantly — the classic rug. Check what share of the LP tokens is burned or locked, and for how long.

4Holder concentration — who owns the supply?

Check the top 10 holders (excluding the LP and known burn addresses). If a handful of fresh wallets hold 30–50%+, one dump ends the chart. Watch for bundled launches: dozens of wallets funded by the same funder in the same block, each holding a "small" amount that sums to most of the supply.

5Pair age and trading pattern

Rugs are short-lived by design. A pair that is hours old with a vertical chart and wash-traded volume is the standard shape. Real organic growth is messier: pullbacks, varied wallet sizes, buys and sells.

6Sell simulation — the honeypot test

The definitive check: simulate a sell, not just a buy. If the swap route fails on sell or the sell tax is extreme (50%+), you're looking at a honeypot regardless of how clean the other checks look.

7Deployer history — the pattern repeats

Serial ruggers recycle infrastructure. Look at the deployer's previous tokens: how many were created, how long they lived, where the liquidity went. A wallet that has launched 15 tokens, each dead within 48 hours, is telling you exactly what token #16 will do.

The honest limits

No checklist catches everything — a determined team with revoked authorities and locked LP can still soft-rug through insider selling. These checks eliminate the mechanical rugs (the majority); position sizing handles the rest. Never size a position so large that a rug changes your life.