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New to memecoins? Start here
16 short guides in four stages, in the order we would read them: how it all works, setting up safely, checking a token, then exits and tax. About 85 minutes in total. Free, no sign-up and no coin tips.
Read this first. Most memecoins go to zero, and many are built so that early insiders can sell to later buyers. This path teaches you how to check the evidence and limit your losses. It will not tell you what to buy, and nothing here is financial advice.
Stage 1 of 4
Understand the basics
Step 1What is a memecoin?A plain-English guide to memecoins on Solana: what they are, why prices swing so hard, who makes them, and why most end up worth nothing.4 min readStep 2What is pump.fun and how does its bonding curve work?How pump.fun launches Solana memecoins, how the bonding curve sets the price, what graduation to PumpSwap means and what risks remain afterwards.5 min readStep 3Market cap, FDV and liquidity: what the numbers meanMarket cap vs FDV vs liquidity on a Solana memecoin, with a worked example showing why pool depth, not market cap, decides what you can actually sell.6 min readStep 4How memecoin trading actually works (and why most people lose)The real mechanics of trading Solana memecoins: slippage, priority fees, sandwich bots, fake volume and why exits fail, plus honest risk management.5 min read
Stage 2 of 4
Set up safely
Step 5How to set up a Phantom wallet safely for SolanaSet up Phantom step by step: official download, recovery phrase, adding SOL from a UK exchange, a test transfer, a trading account and Solflare compared.6 min readStep 6Keeping your Solana wallet safeSolana wallet safety for memecoin traders: guard your seed phrase, split your wallets, spot drainer sites and fake support, and check what you sign.5 min readStep 7What is Jupiter, the Solana exchange?Jupiter explained for beginners: how the Solana swap aggregator finds prices, what Ultra mode does, its fees, its token warnings and its limits.5 min readStep 8Slippage and priority fees on Solana, explainedSlippage tolerance, priority fees and Jito tips on Solana explained: how Jupiter sets them, why swaps fail and how high slippage invites sandwich bots.6 min read
Stage 3 of 4
Check before you buy
Step 9How to tell if a Solana token is a scam, step by stepA 12-step check to run before buying any Solana token: authorities, liquidity, holders, bundles, insiders, creator history, copycats and whether it sells.7 min readStep 10How to Spot a Rug Pull on Solana: 6 Types and the SignsHow Solana rug pulls work, from liquidity pulls and insider dumps to mint rugs and freeze traps, and the on-chain signs you can check before you buy.5 min readStep 11Mint authority and freeze authority explainedMint authority lets someone print more of a Solana token. Freeze authority lets them stop you selling. What both mean and how to check them.5 min readStep 12Can a coin that passes every check still rug? (Yes. Here's how.)An A grade or a clean RugCheck report does not make a memecoin safe. Here are the ways coins with no red flags still collapse, and what to watch for.6 min read
Stage 4 of 4
Plan your exit and your records
Step 13How to buy a Solana memecoin, with the checks firstHow a Solana memecoin purchase works step by step: finding the right contract address, checking it first, swapping on Jupiter and planning your exit.6 min readStep 14How to set a stop-loss and take-profit on JupiterStep by step: set a stop-loss, take-profit or OCO order on Jupiter, how the orders execute, and why a stop-loss can still fail when a memecoin crashes.5 min readStep 15Taking profits: getting your stake back outWhy paper gains on memecoins vanish, how traders take their original stake back out, selling in stages, price impact on exits and the UK tax angle.4 min readStep 16Memecoins and tax in the UKHow HMRC taxes memecoin trades: why every swap counts, Capital Gains Tax rates and allowance, records to keep, claiming losses on rugged coins and CARF.5 min read
When you have read the path
Keep the free one-page checklist next to you when you look at a coin. If you want the whole picture in one place, with worked examples and the ten rug patterns, the field guide goes deeper.