Solana Meme Coin Launchpad Pump.fun Introduces “Project Ascend” – Will It Successfully Address Rug Pulls?

Solana-based memecoin launchpad Pump.fun has introduced “Project Ascend,” a comprehensive update that it asserts will revolutionize its ecosystem and tackle one of the crypto sector’s most enduring challenges: sustainability for token creators.

The announcement resulted in a more than 10% increase in Pump.fun’s native token PUMP as traders responded to the potential for “100x growth” throughout the platform.

introducing Project Ascend, a series of updates that will 100x the pump fun ecosystem by making coins more sustainable & aligned with their communities
to start:
– 10x more creator earnings via Dynamic Fees
– 10x faster processing of CTO Creator Fee applications
learn more pic.twitter.com/ATO1HCjarR

— pump.fun (@pumpdotfun) September 2, 2025

The focal point of the rollout is a revamped creator fee system aimed at better aligning projects with their communities and minimizing incentives for ephemeral, high-risk token launches.

Pump.fun Revamps Creator Fees in Bid to End Short-Lived Token Hype

At the core of Project Ascend is Dynamic Fees V1, a new tiered structure implemented solely for PumpSwap tokens. Rather than imposing flat fees, the system decreases creator fees as a token’s market capitalization increases.

Pump.fun claims this model will make launching new coins “10x more rewarding,” motivating new talent from streamers to startups, while still enabling successful projects to expand without being burdened by costs.

Moreover, allocations for protocol fees and liquidity providers will remain consistent, ensuring stability for the broader ecosystem.

Pump.fun contends that this modification directly addresses issues with its previous Creator Fees initiative, which encountered community backlash and proved inadequate in covering the expenses of developing genuine projects.

The team states that while the original system served as a proof of concept, it was insufficient for supporting costly requirements such as marketing campaigns, exchange listings, and long-term development.

The revised fee model, along with expedited processing of community takeover applications for inactive tokens, aims to provide legitimate builders with a clearer route to sustainability.

This update arrives at a crucial time for Pump.fun. In recent weeks, the platform has implemented a series of expansions intended to enhance its presence within Solana’s ecosystem.

On July 17, it announced its inaugural acquisition, acquiring the wallet-tracking tool Kolscan to incorporate advanced analytics and social trading functionalities.

Shortly thereafter, the project initiated its public token sale, aiming to raise up to $600 million, which represents 15% of PUMP’s total supply.

over the past week, pump fun purchased $10,657,503 in $PUMP tokens, which equates to 99.32% of total revenue for that period (Aug 20-Aug 26)
to date, pump fun has purchased a total of $58,134,191 of $PUMP tokens, offsetting 4.261% of the circulating supply pic.twitter.com/YIsGH4Jr95

— pump.fun (@pumpdotfun) August 27, 2025

Pump.fun has also launched a real-time revenue dashboard, reporting over $58 million in token buybacks to date, which corresponds to offsetting 4.26% of the circulating supply.

Pump.fun Pushes Beyond Memes With Liquidity Fund and Social Trading Tools

Concurrently, Pump.fun established the Glass Full Foundation, a fund aimed at injecting liquidity into promising community-driven projects. This initiative, unveiled on August 8, has already begun to support several tokens, with plans to accelerate the most vibrant and organic communities on the platform.

Recently, Pump.fun added a Kolscan-powered leaderboard on August 25, enabling users to monitor top traders and influencers in real time.

Despite the progress, concerns remain regarding whether Project Ascend can effectively mitigate the prevalence of rug pulls and unsuccessful meme coins.

The platform’s ambition to become “the hub for the most successful projects and creators” hinges on its capacity to convert structural incentives into long-term value.

Critics argue that while fee reforms may promote higher-quality projects, they do not directly eliminate the risks associated with bad actors launching short-lived tokens.

Nonetheless, Pump.fun’s broader strategy seems to be positioning itself as a central hub for both Solana startups and meme projects.

By integrating new fee structures, social trading features, liquidity injections, and real-time transparency tools, the platform aspires to enhance its reputation as more than just a creator of transient meme coins.

Pump.fun Surges Past LetsBonk, Capturing 75% of Solana DEX Revenue

Solana’s decentralized exchange (DEX) activity is experiencing significant declines following a year of rapid growth driven by meme coins.

August data from Dune Analytics indicates that daily active traders on Solana DEXs have decreased by 81%, from 4.8 million earlier this year to just 900,000 in August. Daily transactions have also dropped, falling from 45 million in July to 28.8 million this month.

This downturn marks the fourth consecutive day that Solana’s trader count has remained below one million, suggesting what many perceive as the conclusion of the frenzy that propelled record volumes in late 2024.

Activity surged last year as meme coins and experimental tokens dominated trading, with weekly traders peaking above 30 million by October. However, inflows plummeted in early 2025, leaving recurring users to maintain activity at a lower baseline of 10–15 million weekly.

Amid this decline, Pump.fun has made a comeback after losing ground to Solana-based competitor LetsBonk.fun in July. LetsBonk led daily volumes and revenue for nearly a month before Pump.fun regained the top position in early August.

https://t.co/45JfH1EVhs is down 50% with no airdrop in sight. As LetsBonk takes the lead, can PUMP turn things around or keep sliding?#PumpFun #PUMP #memecoinshttps://t.co/1i0PA2Q3L3

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) July 23, 2025

On August 6, Pump.fun surpassed LetsBonk across all metrics, including tokens minted, trading volume, and revenue.

Recent Dune data from September 2 highlights Pump.fun’s dominance, with $1.13 million in revenue over the past 24 hours. BonkFun followed with $381,730, while Sugar ($52,052), Heaven ($12,615), and Bags ($5,854) trailed significantly.

Source: Dune Analytics/ @adam_tehc

Combined, Pump.fun and BonkFun account for over 90% of fee revenue, indicating a heavily concentrated market.

Token creation trends reflect the revenue disparity. Pump.fun users minted 16,697 tokens in the last 24 hours, far exceeding LetsBonk’s 6,087. Pump.fun also led in graduations, with 164 compared to LetsBonk’s 32, although graduation rates remain below 1%, indicating high churn across platforms.

Source: Dune Analytics/ @adam_tehc

Meanwhile, PUMP, Pump.fun’s native token, increased by 14% following the launch of “Project Ascend.” The update builds on a buyback program that has boosted the token by 25% in the past week and 32% over two weeks.

The post Solana Meme Coin Launchpad Pump.fun Rolls Out “Project Ascend” – Can It Finally End Rug Pulls? appeared first on Cryptonews.