Every day, hundreds of new tokens launch on the Solana blockchain. Some are legitimate projects with real communities and development teams behind them. Others are outright scams designed to drain your wallet. The challenge for traders is telling the difference and doing it fast, before the opportunity disappears or the rug pull happens.
That is exactly why TokenRadar provides real-time safety scores for every new Solana token it detects. In this guide, we will break down exactly what those scores mean, how they are calculated, and how you can use them to trade more safely.
What Is a Token Safety Score?
A token safety score is a quick summary of how risky a particular token appears based on its on-chain characteristics. Rather than forcing you to manually inspect smart contract details, TokenRadar analyzes several key risk factors automatically and presents them in an easy-to-understand format.
Think of it like a health check for a token. A high safety score does not guarantee a token will be profitable, but it does indicate that the token does not exhibit the most common red flags associated with scams and rug pulls.
The Key Risk Factors Explained
Mint Authority
Mint authority refers to whether the token creator still has the ability to create (mint) new tokens at will. This is one of the most important risk factors to understand.
- Mint Authority Revoked (Safe): The creator has permanently given up the ability to mint new tokens. The total supply is fixed. This is the ideal scenario because it means no one can inflate the supply and dilute your holdings.
- Mint Authority Active (Risky): The creator can still mint unlimited new tokens at any time. This means they could flood the market with new supply, crashing the price of your tokens to near zero.
When TokenRadar shows mint authority as revoked, it is a positive safety signal. When it is still active, proceed with extreme caution.
Freeze Authority
Freeze authority is the ability for the token creator to freeze token accounts, preventing holders from selling or transferring their tokens.
- Freeze Authority Revoked (Safe): No one can freeze your tokens. You maintain full control over your holdings and can sell at any time.
- Freeze Authority Active (Risky): The creator could freeze your wallet token account, effectively trapping your funds. You would be unable to sell or transfer your tokens until the freeze is lifted, if it ever is.
Tokens with active freeze authority are particularly dangerous because you could buy in, watch the price rise, and then find yourself completely unable to sell.
Liquidity Pool (LP) Status
Liquidity is what allows you to buy and sell a token. The liquidity pool status tells you important details about the trading environment:
- LP Burned (Safest): The liquidity provider tokens have been permanently destroyed, meaning the liquidity cannot be removed. This is the strongest signal against a rug pull.
- LP Locked (Safe): The liquidity is locked for a specified period. While not permanent, it provides a window of safety during which the liquidity cannot be withdrawn.
- LP Unlocked (Risky): The creator can remove all liquidity at any time, leaving you with tokens that cannot be sold. This is the classic rug pull mechanism.
How TokenRadar Calculates Safety Scores
TokenRadar combines all of these factors and more into a comprehensive safety assessment. The system checks each risk factor in real time as soon as a new token is detected on supported platforms including Pump.fun, Raydium, and Moonshot.
The scoring is straightforward:
- Each revoked authority contributes positively to the safety score
- Burned or locked liquidity significantly boosts the score
- Active authorities lower the score and trigger warning indicators
- Additional factors like initial liquidity size and holder distribution are also considered
How to Use Safety Scores in Your Trading
Here are practical tips for incorporating safety scores into your trading strategy:
- Filter aggressively: Use TokenRadar interface to focus only on tokens with higher safety scores. This immediately eliminates the most obvious scams from your radar.
- Never rely on a single factor: A revoked mint authority is great, but if freeze authority is still active and liquidity is unlocked, the token could still be a trap.
- Check before you buy: Always look at the safety details on TokenRadar before swapping into a new token. The few seconds it takes could save you from a total loss.
- Understand the limitations: Safety scores measure on-chain risk factors. They cannot predict whether a team will deliver on their promises or whether a token will gain traction. Always do your own research beyond the safety score.
Common Scam Patterns to Watch For
Even with safety scores, it helps to understand common scam patterns:
- Honeypot tokens: You can buy but cannot sell. Freeze authority is often the mechanism behind this.
- Rug pulls: The creator removes all liquidity after people buy in, leaving the token untradeable.
- Inflation attacks: The creator mints billions of new tokens and dumps them on the market.
- Slow rugs: Everything looks safe initially, but the team gradually sells off their holdings over days or weeks.
Start Using TokenRadar Today
Understanding safety scores is the first step toward smarter, safer trading on Solana. TokenRadar provides these scores for free, in real time, across nine languages.
Visit TokenRadar now to start monitoring new Solana tokens with full safety analysis. Stay informed, stay safe, and trade with confidence.