Memecoin launchpad Pump.fun introduced a new restriction on creator fee settings, limiting token deployers to a single post-launch change in how fees are distributed on the platform.
In a post on X, Pump.fun co-founder Alon Cohen said the update aims to reduce “griefing” — where creators alter fee recipients after a token gains traction — and other forms of manipulation tied to fee redirection, where token creators can alter who receives fees after a coin gains traction.
Under the change, each token will have one opportunity to redirect creator fees to a different wallet, after which the configuration becomes permanently locked.
Pump.fun’s latest update follows a broader overhaul announced in January, when the platform acknowledged that its creator-fee model had skewed incentives by disproportionately rewarding token deployers over traders.
Pump.fun’s broader attempts to shift incentives to traders
On Jan. 10, the platform introduced changes like multi-wallet distribution and post-launch controls, aiming to improve transparency and better align rewards with trading activity.
On Feb. 17, Pump.fun introduced “Cashback Coins,” requiring creators to choose at launch whether fees go to themselves or are redirected to traders, with that high-level model locked in once selected.
The change aimed to rebalance the distribution of rewards between token deployers and traders. However, while the overall fee model was fixed at launch, creators or coin admins could still adjust the specific wallets receiving those fees and how they were distributed after a token went live.
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This meant that even if the model didn’t change, the underlying recipients could, creating potential trust issues for traders. The latest update narrows that flexibility by allowing only a single post-launch change to fee recipients, after which the configuration is permanently locked.
Early community reactions suggest the change may do little to address broader trading dynamics on the platform. X user gake said the change might not help much, while another user, tom, described it as a “drop in the bucket” that shows the team is at least acknowledging the issue.
Pump.fun activity drops as fees and volume fall year over year
Pump.fun’s shift in its incentive structure comes as its fees have declined from their peak. DefiLlama data shows that in January 2026, the platform recorded $31.8 million in fees, down about 75% from $148 million in January 2025, its best-performing month to date.
In February 2026, the platform recorded $25 million in revenue, down 66% from nearly $75 million in February 2025.
The platform’s trading volume has followed a similar pattern. According to DefiLlama, Pump.fun recorded monthly volume of over $11.6 billion in January 2025, which fell to about $2.1 billion in January 2026, a decline of roughly 81%.
In February 2026, monthly volume totaled about $1.91 billion, down 68% from $6.1 billion in February 2025.
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