This article documents the key milestones in the history of pump.fun, the Solana meme coin launchpad that reshaped the meme coin landscape from 2024 onward.
January 2024 — Launch
pump.fun launches on Solana mainnet, developed by a small team. The core product is a bonding curve launchpad: anyone can create a token for ~0.02 SOL, with all price discovery happening on-chain through the bonding curve. Initial traction is modest but growing.
March–May 2024 — Explosive growth
Token creation volume on pump.fun begins growing exponentially as traders discover the platform. The memecoin meta is strong — animal tokens, political tokens, and internet reference tokens all find audiences. Daily token launches reach hundreds.
June 2024 — 1 million tokens
pump.fun surpasses 1 million total tokens created. The milestone receives wide coverage in crypto media and establishes pump.fun as the dominant Solana token launchpad.
October–November 2024 — AI agent meta
The "AI agent" narrative emerges on CT, with tokens like GOAT and later ai16z gaining significant attention. Pump.fun becomes the primary venue for this new narrative, as traders theorize about AI-controlled wallets accumulating meme coins.
November 2024 — Animal virals peak
Several viral animal tokens reach significant market caps: MOODENG (the baby hippo), PNUT (Peanut the squirrel), and others. This represents the maturation of pump.fun as a cultural phenomenon beyond pure financial speculation.
January 2025 — TRUMP and MELANIA launches
Days before the US presidential inauguration, TRUMP and MELANIA meme coins launch with direct promotion from the incoming President and First Lady. The launches generate billions in trading volume and become the most high-profile meme coin launches to date.
February 2025 — LIBRA scandal
The LIBRA scandal — involving Argentine President Milei's promotion of a Solana meme coin — becomes the most prominent mainstream coverage of meme coin manipulation, bringing regulatory scrutiny to the entire ecosystem.
2025–2026 — Maturation and competition
pump.fun faces competition from clones and alternatives including letsbonk.fun, boop.fun, and others. The platform introduces new features including live streaming and social tools. Daily launch volumes fluctuate with broader market conditions but remain substantial.