Getting Started on Pump.fun: A Beginner's Checklist

How do you get started on Pump.fun?

Getting started on Pump.fun takes about fifteen minutes if you prepare properly, and the order of the steps matters more than most people realise. The single most common mistake is buying something before applying a referral code, which costs you the deposit reward and leaves you on the higher platform fee. This checklist puts the steps in the right order.

If you want background first, read what Pump.fun is. If you are ready to go, work through the list below, then follow the detailed walkthrough in how to use Pump.fun.

The beginner checklist

#	Step	Why it matters
1	Check eligibility	Some countries cannot use Pump.fun or its deposit program
2	Choose app or wallet	Decides how you fund and whether the deposit reward applies
3	Open the referral link	Carries code NEWUSER50 to the app
4	Confirm NEWUSER50 before buying	Locks in 10% off fees and deposit eligibility
5	Fund with a small amount	Limits the damage of early mistakes
6	Make one small buy and sell	Shows you the real cost of a round trip
7	Set your own rules	Protects you from impulse trades

Step 1: Check you are eligible

You must be at least 18 and allowed to use Pump.fun where you live. Pump.fun’s terms list prohibited countries, and its Deposit Match Program Terms also exclude the United Kingdom from the deposit reward. Do not use a VPN to get around restrictions: the program terms treat that as abuse and Pump.fun can withhold rewards or restrict access.

Step 2: Choose the mobile app or an external wallet

There are two common ways in:

• The Pump.fun mobile app. You sign in, the app sets up your wallet, and you can buy crypto with a card through integrated payment providers. This is the route that qualifies for the deposit reward, because the program terms require the code to be applied in the mobile app and the first purchase to go through an integrated provider.
• An external wallet such as Phantom with the web app. You keep full control of your keys and fund the wallet yourself. The fee discount still matters here, but SOL transferred in from elsewhere is not a qualifying deposit. See our Phantom walkthrough.

Not sure? If you are completely new to crypto and want the deposit reward, start with the app.

Step 3: Open the referral link

On the phone you will use, open pump.fun/join/NEWUSER50. It leads to Pump.fun with our referral code attached. Check that the address is the real pump.fun domain.

Step 4: Confirm NEWUSER50 before you buy anything

This is the step that matters. Pump.fun’s terms say that opening a link does not by itself apply a code: you must enter or confirm it in the app. For the deposit reward you must do so within 24 hours of first using the app, and before your first purchase.

With NEWUSER50 applied you get:

• 10% off trading fees. On Pump.fun’s fees page, wallets with a referral code pay a 0.40% platform fee instead of 0.45%.
• Up to $50 free on your first deposit, if an offer is shown in the app and you pass Pump.fun’s review. The maximum depends on your country.

The full rules are on our Pump.fun referral code page.

Step 5: Fund with a small amount

Make your first purchase through the in-app provider if you want the deposit reward, or fund your external wallet with SOL. Keep it small. Before the reward is credited, do not withdraw the purchased assets, because the terms say doing so forfeits it.

Always leave a little SOL unspent for network fees. A wallet with tokens but no SOL cannot pay to sell them.

Step 6: Make one small buy and one small sell

Pick any coin, buy a very small amount, then sell it. The goal is not profit; it is to see the confirmation screens, the fee lines and the price impact for yourself. Most beginners are surprised by how much a round trip costs: on the bonding curve, a buy and sell together pay more than three percent in fees before price movement. Our fees explained article shows the maths.

Step 7: Set your own rules before the excitement starts

Write down three rules and keep them where you can see them. For example:

1. My total memecoin budget is a fixed amount, and I stop when it is gone.
2. No single trade is more than a small fraction of that budget.
3. I wait a few minutes and check holders before buying anything I saw promoted.

Rules made in a calm moment protect you in an excited one. Read is Pump.fun safe? for the scams that rely on speed and pressure.

What to learn next

Once your first session is done, these pages fill in the gaps:

• How to use Pump.fun: the app, trades, slippage and selling
• Pump.fun fee schedule: every official fee in one table
• Troubleshooting: failed transactions, missing tokens and code problems
• How to create a coin: if you want to launch rather than trade

Nothing on this site is financial advice. Pump.fun is high risk, and an independent guide like ours, which is not affiliated with Pump.fun, can only help you understand it.