Mint authority is the power to create new units of a token. Whoever still holds it can increase the supply whenever they like and sell the new tokens. Freeze authority is a related power: freezing the tokens in a wallet so that they cannot be moved or sold. This guide explains both and how to check them.
Last updated Oct 26, 2026
The supply of a token is only fixed if nobody is able to create more of it. On some networks that ability belongs to an address, the mint authority. While it is set, that address can create as many tokens as it wants.
Why this matters for buyers: if the creator mints a large amount and sells it into the pool, the money in the pool goes to the creator and the price falls. Every other holder’s share of the supply gets smaller. An open mint authority is a classic way to rug a pool, even when the liquidity is locked.
Setting the mint authority to none (“revoking” or “disabling” it) fixes the supply for good.
On Solana a token can also have a freeze authority. It can freeze a holder’s token account, and a frozen account cannot send or sell that token. Some issuers keep it on purpose, for example a company that issues a stablecoin and has to block sanctioned addresses. For a new meme token it means that whoever holds the power can stop you from selling, and there is no ordinary reason for it.
On EVM networks the same idea appears as a blacklist function or as transfers that can be paused.
| Network | How the powers are stored |
|---|---|
| Solana | The token’s mint account stores two fields: the mint authority and the freeze authority. Each is either an address or none. Once a field is set to none it cannot be set again, so a revoked authority stays revoked. Newer Solana tokens (Token-2022) can add more optional powers, such as a permanent delegate that can move or burn tokens in any account. |
| Ethereum, BNB Chain, Base and other EVM networks | A token is its own smart contract, so there is no standard field. A contract may have a mint function that the owner or a minter role can call, or none at all. “Ownership renounced” means the owner address was given up, but other roles, an upgradeable proxy contract or a hidden owner can still hold the same power. |
Context matters. The issuers of large stablecoins and some other regulated tokens keep mint and freeze powers on purpose, because they create and redeem tokens against reserves and have to follow legal orders. A brand-new anonymous token has no such reason. Codex reports an open authority as a risk signal and leaves the judgment to you.
Revoked mint and freeze authority remove two ways to hurt holders. Others remain: liquidity that can be pulled (liquidity lock guide), a few wallets holding most of the supply, taxes and honeypot code. The rug pull guide lists them all.
In the Codex score, a mint or freeze authority that is still open keeps a token in the Extremely risky band. The Weekly Token Feed leaves out tokens with mint or freeze power still active. Both are filters on public data, not verdicts. Methodology →
It means that nobody can create new tokens any more, so the supply is fixed. On Solana the mint authority is set to none, and that cannot be undone.
Not always. Renouncing removes the owner’s powers, but a contract can have other privileged roles, can be an upgradeable proxy, or can hide its real owner. Check the contract, not only the word “renounced”.
It is always a risk for the holder, because tokens can be frozen. Regulated stablecoin issuers keep it on purpose. For a new anonymous token there is no such reason, and Codex treats it as a warning sign.
On Solana, no: once an authority is set to none it cannot be set again. On EVM networks it depends on the contract. An upgradeable contract can change its rules, so look at whether the contract can be upgraded.