SURVIVOR FIELD MANUAL · DOSSIER 002
How to Research Solana Meme Coins Without Feeding the Horde
A trending ticker is not evidence. Run this short, repeatable investigation before you connect a wallet or swap SOL. The horde loves speed; your job is to slow down.
1. Verify the exact token
Start with the mint address, not the ticker, logo, search ad or a stranger's link. Find the address through the project's official website or verified social profile, then compare it with a trusted explorer such as Solana Explorer. Search results can contain impersonators wearing the same cheap zombie mask.
2. Check the market, not just the chart
Open the exact pair on DEX Screener. Check liquidity, volume, transactions, buys versus sells, pool age and whether activity is steady or one strange burst. A green candle is a mood, not a background check.
3. Inspect liquidity and holders
Look at the pool's liquidity and whether it can disappear. Review top-holder concentration on a Solana explorer; identify known pool, burn and exchange addresses before interpreting percentages. A few wallets controlling a large share can dump into thin liquidity. Concentration alone is a warning to investigate, not proof of fraud.
4. Check authorities and contract details
Use reputable Solana token tools and the explorer to review mint and freeze authority where applicable, token program, metadata and suspicious changes. Different token standards and extensions have different risks; do not treat a single scanner badge as a verdict.
5. Look for real, verifiable project information
Check whether the website, social accounts, token address and community all point to the same project. Read recent posts and announcements. Beware copied branding, fake support agents, urgency, guaranteed returns and requests for seed phrases.
6. Write down your decision
Record the mint address, liquidity, top-holder share, recent volume, major risks and the reason you would walk away. If you cannot explain the risks in plain language, do not trade yet. Missing a pump is cheaper than becoming the pump's exit liquidity.