tl;dr
Pump.fun introduces *Project Ascend*, a new initiative aimed at increasing creator earnings by 10 times and promoting long-term sustainability in the memecoin space. The update features a tiered fee structure and dynamic pricing system, with higher market cap coins facing lower fees and early-stag...
**Pump.fun Unveils Project Ascend: A Game-Changer for Memecoins and Creator Earnings**
Pump.fun is shaking up the memecoin world with its latest initiative, *Project Ascend*, a bold move aimed at boosting creator earnings by a staggering 10 times while paving the way for long-term sustainability. Launched on Sept. 2, the platform’s new tiered fee structure and dynamic pricing system are designed to reward success and fuel growth—two goals that have long eluded the volatile memecoin space.
At the heart of *Project Ascend* is **Dynamic Fees V1**, a groundbreaking market cap-based pricing model exclusive to PumpSwap. Here’s how it works: higher market cap coins face lower creator fees, freeing up capital for successful projects to scale. Meanwhile, early-stage tokens benefit from higher fees, channeling funds toward marketing, exchange listings, and operational costs.
“This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about creating genuine opportunities for retail investors and teams that can build lasting value,” said Pump.fun co-founder Alon Cohen in a Sept. 2 audio. “Right now, we’re limited by the lack of coins that can sustain value and reward participants. We need 100x growth stories, not just short-term spikes.”
Cohen’s vision isn’t just aspirational. The new system directly addresses a pain point in the memecoin ecosystem: flat creator fees that stifle growth. Traditional models, he argues, cap potential by making it hard for whales to enter trades without facing steep losses. *Project Ascend* flips the script, aligning fees with token performance to unlock scalability.
**A Comeback on the Solana Launchpad**
This isn’t Pump.fun’s first rodeo. The platform clawed back market dominance from rival Bonkfun in August, recovering $35 million in revenue and reclaiming 68.2% of Solana’s launchpad market share. Bonkfun had previously seized 77% of the market, raking in $37.4 million compared to Pump.fun’s $15.4 million.
To reclaim ground, Pump.fun invested nearly $44.5 million in its native PUMP token in August, signaling a commitment to its ecosystem. Now, *Project Ascend* ensures that all PumpSwap tokens—new and existing—can access the revamped fee structure, giving even older projects a second chance to thrive.
**Streamlined Power to the People**
The update also introduces a faster **Community Takeover (CTO)** process, slashing approval times from days to hours. This mechanism lets communities redirect creator fees from original deployers to active leaders who demonstrate consistent development and marketing efforts.
“Don’t think a creator deserves fees? Submit a CTO application and start earning on a coin you’ve taken over,” the platform announced.
Cohen sees this as a way to attract mainstream talent to Solana, positioning Pump.fun as the “hub for the most successful projects and creators the world has ever seen.” The platform aims to accelerate onboarding across streaming, startups, and community-building, betting that these verticals will drive exponential growth.
**What’s Next?**
With *Project Ascend*, Pump.fun isn’t just tweaking the rules—it’s rewriting them. By aligning fees with token performance, empowering communities, and fueling creator compensation, the platform is betting that memecoins can evolve from fleeting hype to sustainable assets.
But will this strategy hold? As the memecoin space continues to balloon, the pressure is on Pump.fun to prove that its model can deliver on its promises. One thing is clear: the race for dominance on Solana is far from over, and *Project Ascend* is a bold step toward securing Pump.fun’s place at the forefront.
What do you think? Can tiered fees and community-driven takeovers finally make memecoins a long-term investment opportunity—or is this just another cycle of hype?