How to check if mint and freeze authority are renounced

Why this matters

Renounced authorities close two whole categories of attack — infinite minting and account freezing. It is a non-negotiable baseline check on any token you plan to hold.

Step by step

1. Open the token mint on Solscan. Look up the token's mint address on an explorer to read its on-chain authority fields directly.
2. Check mint authority. Confirm mint authority shows as renounced (null). If it is live, the team can print unlimited supply and dump it, diluting you to zero.
3. Check freeze authority. Confirm freeze authority is renounced. A live freeze authority can freeze your account so you can buy but never sell — a honeypot setup.
4. Be skeptical of excuses. Treat "we kept the authority for compliance/upgrades" as a red flag for most memecoins. Fixed-supply memes renounce both.
5. Cross-check the supply. Verify the total supply matches what is claimed; a recently-changed supply suggests minting has occurred.
6. Combine with LP and holders. Renounced authorities are necessary but not sufficient — pair this check with LP status and holder concentration.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Checking mint authority but forgetting freeze authority.
• Accepting "kept for compliance" at face value.
• Assuming renounced authorities mean fully safe.
• Trusting a tool's claim without the explorer.
• Ignoring an unexpectedly changed supply.

Quick checklist

• ☐ Token mint opened on explorer
• ☐ Mint authority renounced
• ☐ Freeze authority renounced
• ☐ Excuses for live authorities treated skeptically
• ☐ Supply cross-checked
• ☐ Paired with LP and holder checks