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Pump.fun vs. Moonshot: Where to Flip Your Next Solana Meme Coin
DEX Screener Launched Moonshot last week as a direct rival to Solana’s meme coin factory Pump.fun. Both platforms aim to offer an easy way to launch crypto tokens.
Although they are essentially similar, both platforms have their own unique advantages and quirks that might make users lean towards one platform or the other.
Pump.fun was launched earlier this year and was soon used to create huge tokens such as Michi, Billy and a number of celebrity meme coins such as actress AND Jason Derulo. It was also the starting point for a wide range of political meme tokens inspired by the likes of Trump and Biden. Not to mention the degenerate live meta-broadcastPump.fun undoubtedly has the advantage of being a pioneer.
As for Moonshot, it’s only been around for a week, but it’s quickly caught the industry’s attention. DEX Screener has already established itself as a tool in the meme coin space and is attempting to funnel users to its new offering.
We’ve compared the two meme coin creation protocols to help you determine which is the best place to launch your next viral token.
Security of the meme coin
One of DEX Screener’s biggest strengths is its focus on security and transparency. DEX Screener says its launchpad ensures that all smart contracts behind meme coins launched on the platform are fully verified.
This happens after Pump.fun was hacked by an alleged former employee which claimed that the protocol had numerous security flaws, raising concerns in the community.
“There is no publicly available information on security audits or contests for DEX Screener or Moonshot,” Immunity Triage manager Adrian Hetman said Decipher. “Therefore, it is difficult to assess their claimed level of auditing or the quality of the code for the tokens they launch. At this time, there is no evidence to support this claim.”
DEX Screener did not respond to Decipherrequest to see proof of such checks.
As for security measures that everyday investors can exercise on their own, Pump.fun has recently implemented Blockchain viewer Bubblemaps in the protocol.
This allows investors to see how much each wallet holds and which wallets have interacted with each other. Likewise, you can see the distribution of holders in list form, as well as a list of trades made on the site.
DEX Screener has similar features, with a list of holders and recent trades. But it is worth noting that Pump.fun only appears to record trades made via the protocol.
Ease of throwing meme coins
Pump.fun has been successful mainly due to the ease with which tokens can be launched on the platform. All you have to do is enter the name of the desired token, the ticker, the description and attach a photo before pay 0.02 SOL ($3) to bring it to life.
This is no different from using Moonshoteven down to the fee you pay to launch. Both platforms allow you to add social media accounts to your token page, although Moonshot allows you to add multiple links. Again, both protocols give you the option to purchase an initial portion of tokens.
In this category, both platforms seem almost identical in terms of functionality. Just connect your wallet, fill out the short form and pray that the meme coin reaches the moon.
How to Flip a Meme Coin on Moonshot. Image: DEX Screener.
Tokenomics
On Pump.fun, tokens need to reach a market cap of around $60,000 for the binding curve to be satisfied, which then leads to the token launching on Solana decentralized exchange Raydium. This is the primary goal for any newly launched token on the platform, potentially reaching many more traders in the process.
As for Moonshot, the tokens need to reach a market cap of 500 SOL ($73,000) before the project will migrate to Raydium. This is slightly higher than Pump.fun. But the way it works on Moonshot, the platform will automatically burn 150 million to 200 million tokens to create a deflationary effect that could increase the value of the token over time.
But beware: it is not yet clear what determines the exact amount of tokens burned.
Neither platform allows for token pre-sales, and both limit the supply of meme coin tokens to 1 billion.
Aesthetics and history
When it comes to meme currencies, tokenomics is often considered secondary to aesthetic and cultural relevance.
Being a first mover, Pump.fun has a natural advantage when it comes to its place in cryptocurrency culture. On top of that, the protocol embraces the degenerate side of cryptocurrency with the site looking similar to a 4chan Board—especially his message thread.
In contrast, Moonshot leans more into the digitally native nature of the platform, opting for a Monster Energy-style color palette full of neon green. This, combined with the site’s rounded edges and modern buttons, makes the site feel a bit cleaner and more professional than Pump.fun’s all-out degen vibes.
Pump.fun pages are reminiscent of 4chan. Image: Pump.fun
On Pump.fun, you can sort and rank each token on the platform however you like, from the latest response to the highest market cap. You have five options for ranking listings on Moonshot, but none that allow you to rank tokens by market cap.
It’s a feature that, on Pump.fun, makes it easy to see that the platform has been the launch pad for tons of successful meme coin projects, including Michi, MOTHER by Iggy AzaleaAND Cat Shark.
As for Moonshot, it’s hard to say. One of the platform’s most successful tokens so far is FIRSTwith a market cap of $1.2 million. For comparison, Michi, launched by Pump.fun, has a Market cap of $140 million.
Moonshot goes for a sleek, neon green look. Image: DEX Screener
Statistics comparison
Let’s get a little nerdy and compare stats.
Since its launch, Pump.fun has been used to generate a whopping 1.2 million meme coins, while Moonshot has launched 26,000 on behalf of users, according to Dune Dashboard DataIt is important to remember that Moonshot was launched last week, while Pump.fun opened its doors at the beginning of the year.
Comparing daily stats, Pump.fun still outperforms Moonshot, launching 9,000 tokens on Sunday compared to Moonshot’s 1,700 tokens.
This obviously translates into revenue, with Pump.fun bringing in 600,000 dollars while Moonshot only did $80,000second DeFi Blade. Pump.fun clearly takes the cake in this category. It is currently the 11th Most Profitable Protocol on DeFi Llama, so it’s no surprise.
The two platforms are alike in many ways. Pump.fun is leading in some categories right now, mostly due to its first mover advantage, while Moonshot is trying to be the more polished platform, claiming to have better security. It is equally easy to launch Solana tokens on both platforms, so experiment with them and see which one offers the best solution.
By Stacy Elliott.