What is Mint Authority?
Also known as: mint function, minting rights
The on-chain permission that allows new tokens to be created — a major rug risk if it is not revoked after launch.
Mint authority is the address permitted to create (mint) new units of a token. If a team keeps mint authority enabled after launch, it can print unlimited new tokens at any time, diluting holders and crashing the price — a frequent vector for scams.
Reputable launches revoke (renounce) mint authority immediately after the initial supply is created, and verification tools display this status. On Solana, freeze authority is a related permission that can lock individual wallets from transferring — also worth revoking for trust.
When buying an existing project, confirming that mint and freeze authority are revoked is a baseline due-diligence step.
Related terms
Rug Pull
A scam where a token’s creators drain liquidity or dump their holdings, collapsing the price to near zero.
Tokenomics
The economic design of a token: total supply, distribution, taxes, vesting, and the incentives that shape holder behavior.
Memecoin
A cryptocurrency inspired by an internet meme, joke, or cultural moment, where community and virality drive value more than utility.