Meme coins. Love them or hate them, they have a way of turning the crypto market into a rollercoaster ride with no seatbelts. And Pump.fun? Well, it’s the go-to playground for degens looking to turn a few dollars into a Lamborghini (or at least a decent lunch). But if you’ve never bought a meme coin before, the process can seem a little… chaotic.
Don't worry—I’ve got you. This is your no-nonsense, step-by-step guide to buying a meme coin on Pump.fun, with just the right amount of humor to keep you sane.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Get Your Wallet Ready (Because You Need a Place to Put Your Coins)
Before you do anything, you need a Solana-compatible wallet. If you already have one, great. If not, download Phantom, Solflare, or Backpack—they’re easy to set up and work seamlessly with Pump.fun. Here are all Solana compatible wallets you can choose from.
Once your wallet is ready, fund it with some SOL. Think of SOL as the cover charge for this wild party—it pays for transactions and lets you actually buy the coin. You can grab some from an exchange like Bybit, Binance, or OKX, then transfer it to your wallet.
Step 2: Visit Pump.fun
Head over to Pump.fun—where meme coins are born, hyped, and sometimes abandoned like old gym memberships. The homepage will bombard you with trending tokens, random coins, and enough chaotic energy to make your head spin.
You have two choices:
Find a coin that’s already pumping (high risk, high adrenaline).
Create your own meme coin (because why buy when you can make your own?).
For now, let’s focus on buying
For creating your own memecoin, read our blog How to create a Meme Coin on Pump.fun.
Step 3: Pick Your Meme Coin (Or Let FOMO Decide for You)
Scroll through the trending list, check out the latest degen plays, or go full detective mode and research projects on X (Twitter). If the name makes you laugh or question humanity, it’s probably a good one.
Once you’ve found a coin that speaks to your soul (or just looks like it might moon), click on it. You’ll land on its trading page, where you can check the chart, liquidity, and how many people are aping in.
At this point, pause for a second. Not every meme coin is a winner. Some are just traps set by scammers (more on that later).
Step 4: Buy That Coin (Before Someone Else Does)
Click the BUY button, connect your wallet, and enter the amount of SOL you’re willing to sacrifice to the meme gods. Double-check the price, because slippage can turn your “smart buy” into an overpay real fast.
Then, confirm the transaction. Boom. You’re now a proud owner of a meme coin. Congrats—or condolences, depending on what happens next.
Step 5: Decide If You’re Holding or Dumping
Now comes the real game. Are you HODLing for dear life, hoping for a 100x? Or are you taking profits at the first sign of green candles?
Some traders flip meme coins within minutes. Others ride them until they become billionaires (or bag holders). The choice is yours, but one rule always applies: never invest more than you can afford to lose.
What Are the Risks? PLEASE, READ
Meme coins are fun, but they are also the Wild West of crypto—full of opportunities, but also full of traps. Here are some basic tips, for more information, read our blog Meme Coins: Risks, Scams, and How Not to Get Wrecked
Rug Pulls: The Fastest Way to Lose It All
If you’ve been in crypto for a minute, you’ve probably heard of rug pulls. But if not, let me explain:
A rug pull happens when the creator of a coin suddenly drains all the liquidity from the project, leaving everyone else holding worthless tokens. It’s the equivalent of someone inviting you to a party, waiting until you pay for drinks, and then vanishing with the cash while you stand there holding a warm beer.
Red Flags for Rug Pulls:
Liquidity isn’t locked – If the creator can withdraw everything, they probably will.
No community – If nobody is talking about it, who’s going to buy when you want to sell?
Ridiculous promises – If they claim it’s “the next Doge” and will “make you rich overnight,” run.
Honey Pots: You Can Buy, But You Can’t Sell
Imagine walking into a casino where you can put money on the table but aren’t allowed to cash out. That’s a honey pot—a scam where you can buy a token, but when you try to sell, the transaction fails.
How to Avoid Honey Pots:
Test with a small amount – Buy a little, then try selling before going all in.
Check contracts on Solscan – If there’s weird code blocking sales, it’s a trap.
Pump-and-Dump Schemes: The Classic Crypto Scam
Ever noticed a coin skyrocketing out of nowhere, only to crash minutes later? That’s a pump-and-dump—where a group hypes up a coin, buys in early, gets others to FOMO in, and then dumps their bags at the peak, leaving everyone else in the red.
Signs You’re in a Pump-and-Dump:
Massive spikes with no reason – If there’s no real news but the price is exploding, be cautious.
Shady influencers pushing it – Some influencers promote garbage just to cash out.
The Final Rule
Meme coins are like a casino—you might win big, you might lose everything, but you should never gamble what you can’t afford to lose.
Remember:
Always do your research.
Take profits when you can.
Don’t cry if your coin disappears overnight.
Now go forth, trade responsibly, and may your bags be forever pumped.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of professional advice. Always do your own research before making any decisions.
Comments