How to Screen Coins for SOL-Sided DLMM Positions
Why Screen Coins?
Before opening any SOL-sided DLMM position, you need to filter out coins that are likely to rug, dump, or drain your liquidity. Out of hundreds of coins launched daily, only 1-2 will pass a proper screening process. Those survivors are far more likely to chop around and generate fees rather than go to zero.
These are one trader’s screening methods — there may be other approaches, but this checklist has proven effective.
Step 1 — Check Dexscreener Basics
Open the coin on Dexscreener and look for two things:
| Check | Red Flag |
|---|---|
| Logo/image | No logo = skip |
| Social links | No socials = skip |
Warning: Scammers and ruggers are getting smarter. Most scam coins now have social links, so passing this step alone does not make a coin safe. Continue screening.
Step 2 — Identify the Coin Type
Some coin categories tend to rug quickly even when they have volume. Avoid these:
| Category | Example | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Political figure coins | Trump/Elon/Baron coins | Avoid |
| Celebrity coins | Kanye-style launches | Avoid |
| ”Justice for…” coins | Using someone’s reputation | Avoid |
| Animal celebrity coins | TikTok animal coins | Avoid |
| Dev coins (BAGS coins) | Check if Dev is active first | Risky |
For Dev coins: look up the socials. If the Dev is active and helping the community, it might be okay. But if the Dev shows no signs of being present, that’s a red flag. The core problem with these coins is that you never know when the Dev decides to cash out. When they start dumping, the chart becomes a slow rug — no bounce, just an -80%+ drop in 24 hours.
Throw away the greed and ignore these coins for your own mental health.
Step 3 — Check Total Fees on GMGN
The Total Fees indicator on GMGN tells you how organic the buying and selling activity is.
| Total Fees | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Below 20 | Likely a scam coin — can rug to zero at any time |
| 20 - 50 | Gray zone — check charts manually |
| Above 50 | Tends to be “safer” for DLMM — price usually chops around, generating fees |
A low number usually means not much interest in the coin due to bad metrics (high top-10 holders, bundling, phishing, etc.).
Important: A high number does not mean the coin is safe forever. It could be from initial mass hype. Keep checking the other steps.
Step 4 — Check GMGN Metrics
These are the specific red flags to watch for on GMGN:
| Metric | Red Flag Threshold | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Top 10 holders | Above 30% | Too concentrated |
| Dev holdings | Above 5% (even 1% is risky) | Dev can dump at any time |
| Insiders | Above 0% | Any insider holdings = red flag |
| Phishing | Above 30% | Indicates suspicious activity |
| Bundling | Above 60% | May be alpha groups buying in bulk, still risky |
| Initial liquidity | Not burnt | Unburnt liquidity = potential rug pull |
| Dev history | Previous rugs | Coin won’t pump due to constant dumps from Dev’s wallets |
Step 5 — Avoid Vampire Coins
On GMGN, vampire coins show a red fang icon. These coins exist to extract liquidity from a main runner.
How it works:
- A main coin pumps hard
- A “vampire” coin launches, marketed as the beta play
- People who missed the main runner buy in hoping for similar gains
- The vampire coin dumps quickly — it was pure extraction
Always avoid when you see the vamp icon. Note that GMGN can be slow to update this status, so if price behavior looks abnormal, check back later.
Step 6 — Avoid CTO Coins (Community Takeover)
CTO coins used to be a genuine thing — a community banding together after a Dev rugged, pumping the coin back up. That dynamic has been exploited.
The new CTO scam:
- A coin gets rugged
- Someone applies to “CTO” the coin and becomes the new Dev
- The new Dev earns creator fees from all trading activity
- They hype the project on X to keep trading volume flowing
- Bagholders buy more, hoping the new Dev will pump the coin back to ATH
- The new Dev never pumps it — they just collect creator fees while the chart keeps dumping
Only the new Devs earn. The chart keeps going down. Avoid CTO coins.
Step 7 — Check Bubblemaps for Virus Clusters
Open the coin on Bubblemaps and look for what’s called virus clusters — patterns that look like an adenovirus.
These clusters mean insiders have bought a large bag spread across multiple wallets. They can dump the entire position in one click. If you see this pattern, skip the coin.
The Filter in Practice
After running all 7 checks in a single day, you’ll filter out about 99% of launched coins, leaving only 1-2 candidates for DLMM positions. Those remaining coins are far more likely to generate fees for you.
Once a coin clears all these metrics, the next step is analyzing the charts to find your entry — but that’s a separate guide.
Source: Logical TA / Evil Panda Strategies (@tendorian9) on X