By Key Points
- 93 of 100 top traders are active over 18 hours daily
- Nearly 800 non-bot accounts still trade $10M+ each
- Study’s method questioned by some analysts
- Pump.fun’s airdrop could be heavily influenced by bots
AI trading bots might be dominating Pump.fun, the popular meme coin launchpad, according to new independent research. The study found that 93 out of the 100 most active Pump.fun traders were logged in for over 18 hours daily—suggesting they are likely bots.
While nearly 800 human-run accounts have each traded more than $10 million on the platform, the sheer scale of bot activity is raising eyebrows across the crypto community.
This new analysis comes at a critical moment. With Pump.fun preparing for its highly anticipated PUMP token airdrop, the platform’s reputation is already under scrutiny. A recent report from Solidus Labs revealed that 98% of tokens on Pump.fun were scams, further complicating the platform’s image.
Such bot-driven manipulation is part of a larger trend in crypto markets, where crypto trading gone wrong stories are becoming more common. Automated systems can distort prices, mislead retail investors, and create artificial volatility—making platforms like Pump.fun riskier for genuine traders.
Turns out 93 out of the top 100 pumpfun/pumpswap wallets are bots.
Adding some simple bot filtering. (which they’ll certainly do for the airdrop)
Here’s the actual human leaderboard:
• 2 wallets have traded over $100M+ volume (@Cupseyy & @TheMisterFrog)
• 785 wallets have… https://t.co/td9lZN1vHZ pic.twitter.com/bG69K6v2gF
— Adam (@Adam_Tehc) June 9, 2025
AI trading bots may skew the upcoming PUMP airdrop
The research, shared by independent analyst Adam_Tehc, took a simple but controversial approach. Traders active for more than 18 hours a day were classified as AI trading bots. According to Adam, this wasn’t an easy cutoff—several known human traders average 16 hours of activity.
filtering out wallets trading more than 18 hours per day
— Adam (@Adam_Tehc) June 9, 2025
One such example is @Cupseyy, who traded over $100 million on Pump.fun while maintaining intense activity levels. Other dedicated human traders report similar figures.
But the bot problem goes deeper than just a few outliers. Pump.fun has faced multiple scandals in recent weeks, with accusations of widespread scams and manipulation. The presence of thousands of bots could worsen this trend, impacting both trading volume and airdrop fairness.
AI trading bots often execute trades faster and more consistently than any human, allowing them to dominate activity metrics and potentially influence token prices. If bots are indeed driving most of the trading volume, it raises concerns about how the PUMP token airdrop will be distributed. A few well-programmed bots could end up capturing a significant share of the new token supply.
Cases like James Wynn’s crypto loss remind us that automated trading, combined with poor oversight, can lead to devastating outcomes for retail investors. Pump.fun risks following the same path unless it addresses the bot issue swiftly.
Analysts question the accuracy of bot identification
However, not everyone agrees with Adam’s findings. Some community members argue that the study oversimplifies a complex issue.
For instance, it’s not clear what counts as “activity.” Could some users simply automate part of their strategy, then manually trade during other hours? Many full-time meme coin traders routinely spend 12-16 hours online, blurring the line between human and bot.
Source: s4mmy – Techtoken
Additionally, identifying bots based on login duration alone is an imperfect method. Some high-volume traders employ a mix of automation tools and manual trading. This hybrid approach makes it difficult to classify accounts accurately.
Despite these questions, one thing is certain: bots are very active on Pump.fun. Whether they dominate or simply enhance human trading remains a hotly debated topic. But with the PUMP airdrop on the horizon, the outcome could significantly shape the future of this vibrant, volatile platform.
As we’ve seen with past bitcoin price glitches and fears that bitcoin risks dropping below $100k, markets can react unpredictably when automated systems take over. Pump.fun must tread carefully to avoid turning its platform into yet another cautionary tale.
What's your reaction?
