Pump.Fun’s PUMP token launch has become one of the most talked-about crypto events of 2025, bringing Solana meme coin energy back to center stage. With a public ICO that sold out in twelve minutes and $500 million raised, Pump.Fun grabbed headlines across news sites, Twitter, and Discord. But while excitement surges, so does debate over fairness, transparency, and what this signals for retail investors in the evolving world of community coins.
Why Pump.Fun’s ICO Became the Summer’s Hot Topic
The crypto market has been restless, searching for the next big story. After a year where regulatory chills slowed down many new coin launches, especially in the US and UK, Pump.Fun managed to crack through the noise. The ICO opened on July 12, 2025, with advance hype focused on its innovative tokenomics, promises of airdrops, and a creator-first mission. Within minutes, $500 million was raised, and the entire public sale allocation was gone.
This created debate across social media platforms, where both retail traders and crypto veterans debated whether Pump.Fun was a sign of crypto “returning to its roots”—or just more of the same old problems in a meme-inspired wrapper.
How Did the PUMP ICO Work?
At its core, Pump.Fun’s sale looked familiar, but a few details set it apart:
The total supply: 1 trillion PUMP tokens. Of this, 33% went to public sale, 24% to community and ecosystem rewards, and the rest to early investors and other allocations. The ICO was invite-only in some regions, blocking investors from the US, UK, and EU while focusing on Asia, parts of Europe, and global users who could buy with USDT.
The structure brought in both institutional investors (taking about 18% of the public allocation) and retail, who snapped up the remaining 15%. In all, about 2.5 billion PUMP tokens went to buyers, but it was the speed of the sale—twelve minutes for full oversubscription—that caught everyone’s attention.
What’s the Utility? Is There Long-Term Value Beyond the Hype?
Pump.Fun isn’t just another meme token to its backers. The project describes itself as a Solana-native platform pushing “Web3, creator-first, censorship-resistant launches” using bonding curves and locked liquidity for added transparency. They also promise creator revenue sharing, staking, and governance features for PUMP holders.
This fits into a broader trend: the rebirth of meme coins but with more structured, transparent approaches and community incentives. Solana’s fast and cheap blockchain has become a favorite for these experiments.
Current Sentiment: Hype, Hope, But Also Concerns
Many celebrate the sale and see it as a rebirth for community-driven capital in crypto. Others, however, call out a big red flag: significant concentration of tokens. Reports show that just 340 wallets snapped up 60% of the ICO’s public allocation. This level of concentration leads some to worry about decentralization, potential for price manipulation, or whales dominating the ecosystem.
There’s also disappointment among some retail users who couldn’t get in, despite the airdrop announcements and huge promotion. For a project that markets itself as “by the people, for the people,” it’s a debate that’s likely to continue.
The Airdrop and What Comes Next
Pump.Fun confirmed an airdrop, with some individuals reporting up to $2,000 equivalent in PUMP. The airdrop—plus word that tokens will become transferable within 48 to 72 hours after distribution—helped hype on X and Discord. Some users, however, voiced frustration over the distribution process and timelines (“I bought in, still waiting, and my tokens are non-transferable”).
It’s worth noting that the team is taking a staggered approach: tokens cannot be transferred until all distributions are complete and the initial launch period is over. This aims to prevent early volatility but makes some buyers nervous.
Trading PUMP: Where and How to Buy
Once the token distribution concludes, PUMP will start trading on several major centralized exchanges, including Bybit, MEXC, and others.
Here’s how you can buy PUMP as soon as trading opens:
- Create an MEXC Account: Sign up on your chosen exchange and complete any required identity verification (KYC).
- Deposit or Buy USDT: Most new coins, including PUMP, are paired with USDT for trading. Deposit or purchase USDT on the platform.
- Locate the PUMP/USDT Pair: On the day PUMP is listed, find the PUMP/USDT trading pair—this will likely be highlighted on the exchange.
- Place a Buy Order:
- Use a market order for an instant purchase at the current price.
- Use a limit order to specify the price you’re willing to pay.
- Confirm the Transaction: Follow the exchange’s prompts to complete your purchase.
- Withdraw PUMP (Optional): Once liquidity is established, you’ll have the option to withdraw PUMP to your Solana wallet (e.g., Phantom).
Tip: We offer an extensive library of resources to guide you through logging in and navigating major exchanges. Refer to these materials if you need step-by-step instructions.
How to Provide Liquidity (LP) for PUMP
Providing liquidity allows you to earn a share of trading fees (and sometimes additional rewards) by adding your PUMP tokens to a liquidity pool. Here’s how to do it:
On Solana-Based DEXs (e.g., Raydium, PumpSwap):
- Connect Your Wallet: Use a Solana-compatible wallet like Phantom and connect it to the decentralized exchange (DEX).
- Prepare Your Tokens: Ensure you have an equal amount of PUMP and USDT in your wallet.
- Add Liquidity:
- Navigate to the “Liquidity” or “Pools” tab on the DEX.
- Select the PUMP/USDT trading pair.
- Enter equal values of both tokens, approve the transaction, and confirm.
- Receive LP Tokens: The DEX will provide you with LP tokens representing your share of the pool.
- Earn Rewards: You’ll earn a percentage of trading fees, and additional incentives may be available if Pump.Fun launches a liquidity mining program.
On Centralized Exchanges with Liquidity Pools:
- Look for sections like “Earn,” “Liquidity,” or “Pools” on the exchange.
- Choose the PUMP/USDT trading pair.
- Deposit equal amounts of PUMP and USDT.
- Hold your LP position to start earning fees.
What Does the Pump.Fun Launch Mean for Crypto?
The return of speculative appetite in meme coins, rapid ICO fundraising, and the blend of serious capital with community trends marks a shift from last year’s conservative posture in the market. Whether Pump.Fun reshapes the ecosystem or becomes another burst of hype will depend on how the team delivers on utility, transparency, and how long the kippah stays on…
As liquidity opens and trading begins, the real test for Pump.Fun will be whether it sustains community engagement and delivers on its promises of ‘fairness’, ‘creator revenue’, and ‘openness’.
The post Pump.Fun ICO Launch: Inside the Hype, the Controversies, and How to Buy or LP PUMP Tokens appeared first on YourCryptoLibrary.