Pump.fun Under Fire: Allegedly Pocketed $741M in Fees as Outrage Labels It a ‘Crypto Cancer’
Another day, another crypto controversy—this time with a side of nine-figure drama.
Pump.fun, the meme coin launchpad that turned ''vibes'' into a business model, now faces accusations of siphoning $741 million in fees from its users. Critics aren''t holding back: ''It''s not a platform, it''s a financial parasite,'' tweeted one trader, summing up the mood.
Fee Frenzy or Fair Play?
The numbers don''t lie—$741 million is more than some small nations'' GDPs. Yet Pump.fun''s defenders argue it''s just the cost of doing business in the meme coin casino. ''You don''t blame the roulette wheel when you lose,'' shrugged one anonymous team member.
Crypto''s Eternal Cycle
From hero to villain in record time—Pump.fun''s saga reads like a DeFi soap opera. One minute it''s the darling of degens, the next it''s being compared to ''typhoid fever for your wallet.''
As the outrage grows, so does the irony: a platform built on hype is now drowning in its own. Maybe those fees should''ve included PR insurance.
We estimate over $20B has been extracted by scams alone
The application is a disease responsible for mass killings and suicides on livestream
-Deleting pump fun from the internet will be a net positive for the entire ecosystem https://t.co/e3YjuNoKcj — Crypto Bitlord (@crypto_bitlord7) June 17, 2025
The criticism has intensified following X’s recent suspension of Pump.fun’s official account and that of co-founder Alon Cohen, raising questions about the platform’s operations as it reportedly plans a $1 billion token sale at a $4 billion valuation.
Pump.fun Fee Revenue Sold; On-Chain Data Points to Anticipation
According to blockchain analytics firm LookOnChain, Pump.fun has systematically converted its fee revenue by selling approximately 4.1 million SOL tokens worth $741 million at an average price of around $180 since May 2024.
The platform deposited 3.84 million SOL worth $699 million directly to Kraken exchange while converting an additional 264,373 SOL into $41.64 million USDC, demonstrating the scale of value extraction from its user base.
This revenue generation occurs despite data showing that 99.6% of traders on the platform have failed to realize profits exceeding $10,000, with only 293 wallets out of 13.55 million total addresses achieving earnings above $1 million.
OK.
• If you''ve realized $1,000,000 trading pumpfun''s you''re a top 0.00217% wallet.
• If you''ve realized $100,000 trading pumpfun''s tokens you''re a top 0.048% wallet.
• If you''ve realized $10,000 trading pumpfun''s tokens you''re a top 0.412% wallet. https://t.co/LnOwFfs2kk
The controversy surrounding Pump.fun extends far beyond financial metrics, encompassing serious concerns about its live-streaming feature, which has been linked to disturbing content.
The platform initially suspended its live-streaming capabilities in November 2024 after users began broadcasting increasingly extreme content designed to manipulate token prices.
However, it quietly reintroduced the feature to 5% of users in April 2025, promising enhanced moderation systems, but failed to deliver.
The Dark Side of Memecoin Mania: From Profits to Peril
Pump.fun’s rise since its January 2024 launch has transformed it into a dominant force within the solana ecosystem, processing over $66 billion in cumulative trading volume while launching an estimated 27,305 new tokens daily as of recent data.
The platform’s fee structure reveals the stark asymmetry between user losses and platform profits. Pump.fun collects a 0.25% fee on every trade and has recently introduced an additional revenue-sharing model that directs 0.05% of trading fees to token creators.
This new structure has drawn criticism for potentially rewarding malicious developers who abandon their projects after initial launches, commonly known as “rug pulls.”
This system incentivizes the creation of low-quality tokens designed purely for quick profit extraction rather than genuine utility or community building.
The human cost of Pump.fun’s operations extends beyond financial losses to documented cases of psychological distress and harmful behavior broadcast on the platform’s livestreaming feature.
Hey @pumpdotfun there is currently someone using your livestreams to threaten to hang themselves if the coin does not reach a set marketcap.
Absolutely heinous and It needs to come down + see if you can get them help.
Shut down the livestream feature. This is out of control.
In fact, it was reported that users were threatening self-harm or violence if their tokens failed to reach specific price targets.
Regulatory Pressure Makes Pump.fun’s Future Uncertain
The recent suspension of Pump.fun’s X account alongside several other memecoin-related platforms shows growing regulatory and platform pressure on the industry’s most controversial corners.
While X has not officially disclosed the reasons for the suspension, speculation centers on potential violations related to unauthorized API usage, SEC investigations, or the platform’s connection to securities law violations.
https://t.co/BB5leCKHRh allegedly sold unregistered securities disguised as meme tokens.#Pump.fun #memecoins #UnregisteredSecuritieshttps://t.co/gNnyRynRWx
Pump.fun already faces a lawsuit alleging securities law violations for selling unregistered securities disguised as meme tokens. It also faces scrutiny for promoting “highly volatile” financial instruments to retail investors.
The timing of the X suspension proves particularly problematic for Pump.fun’s reported $1 billion fundraising plans, as the platform relied heavily on social media for user engagement and token promotion.
Sources familiar with the matter indicate that the token sale would value the company at $4 billion, potentially making it one of the top 30 cryptocurrency projects by valuation.
