Pump.fun’s Project Ascend Promises 10x Creator Earnings, But Traders Ask, “What About Us?

Solana-based memecoin launchpad Pump.fun has rolled out “Project Ascend,” a new initiative designed to reshape how creators earn within its ecosystem.

The update arrives as the platform faces questions about sustainability in a market where trading activity on Solana has been cooling off.

Dynamic fees and creator incentives

At the core of Project Ascend is Dynamic Fees V1, a tiered system that alters how creator fees are distributed. Instead of a flat structure, fees are now linked to market cap.

Smaller projects will see higher earnings potential, while larger tokens will have lower fees. According to Pump.fun, this could boost creator income by as much as 10 times.

In a statement on X, the team explained that the problem is simple, running a project is expensive, and flat fees don’t move the needle. But raising fees across the board hurts traders and stunts growth. “The solution: Dynamic Fees V1,” the team wrote.

The new structure applies across all PumpSwap coins, meaning both new and existing projects can access the updated rewards.

Pump.fun also announced that processing times for Creator Fee applications will be cut down significantly, aiming for “10x faster” approvals. The goal here seems to be to attract a broader range of builders, from streamers to startups, who can use fees to fund marketing, content creation, or exchange listings.

Community reactions and market Context

Reaction from the community has been mixed. Some see the move as a necessary step to support smaller projects and bring fresh energy into the Solana ecosystem.

Others, however, have voiced concerns that the incentives are lopsided. One user on X argued that “There’s literally 0 incentive to trade pump fun coins right now, while all the incentive goes towards being a rug dev.”

Another added that rewarding creators without balancing trader benefits could worsen existing issues in decentralized exchange (DEX) volume.

The timing of Project Ascend is quite notable.

Solana’s memecoin space has been slowing down after a burst of activity earlier this year. Whether Pump.fun’s new fee structure can revive activity or simply shift incentives remains an open question.

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