March 20, 2026 · 6 min read
How to Launch a Token Presale on Solana
A fair presale lets your community participate at a fixed price before your token goes live on DEX. This guide walks you through launching a presale on SolCraft, from setting parameters to distributing tokens.
What is a token presale?
A token presale (also called a token sale or IDO. Initial DEX Offering) lets investors buy tokens before they are publicly tradeable. The price is fixed, unlike DEX prices which fluctuate with every trade.
The key protection mechanism is the soft cap: if the project does not raise enough to hit the soft cap, everyone gets their SOL back automatically. This eliminates the risk of contributing to a failed launch.
Step-by-step: Launch your presale
1
Create your token first
Before launching a presale, deploy your token using the SolCraft token creator. You need the mint address. Set the total supply to include presale allocation + liquidity + team + community.
2
Go to Launchpad → Create Presale
Navigate to solcraft.app/launchpad and click "Create Presale". Connect your wallet. A 0.1 SOL listing fee is charged, this covers platform costs and filters low-quality projects.
3
Set your sale parameters
Token price (in SOL), soft cap (minimum to proceed), hard cap (maximum raise), start and end time. Recommended: hard cap = 3-5x soft cap to give yourself a buffer.
4
Configure vesting (optional but recommended)
Vesting prevents immediate sell pressure after token launch. Set a cliff (delay before any tokens unlock) and duration (how long the full vesting takes). 30-day cliff with 90-day duration is common.
5
Launch and promote
Once live, share your presale page. Buyers send SOL and tokens are reserved at your fixed price. Monitor the progress bar - soft cap must be reached by end date.
6
Finalize or refunds kick in
If soft cap is reached: the presale finalizes, buyers claim their tokens. If soft cap is not reached: everyone gets a full SOL refund automatically. No risk for buyers.
Example presale configuration
TokenMY TOKEN (MTK)
Total Supply1,000,000,000 tokens
Presale Allocation200,000,000 (20%)
Token Price0.0001 SOL per token
Soft Cap10 SOL
Hard Cap20 SOL
Max Raise at Hard Cap20 SOL = $2,800 at $140/SOL
Vesting14-day cliff, 60-day duration
Duration7 days
Frequently asked questions
What is a soft cap vs hard cap?
Soft cap is the minimum amount of SOL you need to raise for the presale to succeed. Hard cap is the maximum - once reached, the presale fills and closes. Always set soft cap to the minimum you need to fund development and liquidity.
What happens if soft cap is not reached?
All contributors automatically receive a full refund of their SOL. No tokens are distributed. This protects buyers from projects that do not gain enough traction.
How does vesting protect buyers?
Vesting schedules token release over time. This prevents team members and early buyers from immediately dumping all tokens on DEX after the presale ends. It signals long-term commitment.
How much does SolCraft charge?
0.1 SOL listing fee upfront, plus 2% of total raised SOL when the presale finalizes successfully. No fees are charged on failed presales.
Can I do a private presale?
Yes. Enable the Whitelist option when creating your presale. Only wallet addresses you approve will be able to participate.
How is this different from pump.fun?
pump.fun uses a bonding curve - price increases with each buy. SolCraft Launchpad uses a fixed price presale model (like Pinksale). Buyers know exactly what price they pay, and the soft cap protects them from failed launches.
Ready to launch your presale?
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