TL;DR
A token launch is the process of creating and deploying a new token on Solana, typically through Pump.fun’s bonding curve mechanism, making it immediately tradeable.
Creating a token on Pump.fun takes seconds: set a name, symbol, upload an image, and submit. The token immediately starts trading on a bonding curve. No upfront liquidity is needed — the bonding curve provides the pricing mechanism. Cost is minimal (just the transaction fee). The token can potentially graduate to PumpSwap/Raydium if it attracts ~85 SOL in bonding curve deposits.
Serious launchers don’t just create and hope. They plan: prepare social media presence before launch, coordinate initial buying from multiple wallets (bundling) to build momentum, set up a Telegram community, and use auto-sell triggers to manage risk. Token launchers listed on MadeOnSol (see /categories/token-launchers) offer bundled launches with multiple wallets, auto-sell configuration, and Jito bundles for guaranteed first buys. MadeOnSol itself is data-only — it does not launch tokens, but its bundle and buyer-quality data (/api/v1/tokens/{mint}/bundle) and Deployer Hunter show you exactly which launches were bundled and by whom.
The vast majority of Pump.fun tokens (97%+) never graduate. Successful launches typically have: a compelling narrative or meme, strong initial momentum (fast bonding curve progress), active community engagement, the deployer continuing to promote post-launch, and organic holder growth. The deployer’s track record is the best predictor — serial successful deployers understand what works.