What is freeze authority on Solana?
Freeze authority is the account that can freeze token accounts for a Solana token. A frozen account cannot send, receive or burn that token until it is thawed, so whoever holds the freeze authority can stop any holder from selling. Once the freeze authority is revoked, no account of that token can be frozen again.
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How it works
The freeze authority is an optional field on the token's mint account. Its holder can sign an instruction that freezes a specific token account, and another that thaws it. According to the Solana docs, a frozen account cannot receive, transfer or burn tokens until it is thawed, and only a mint that still has a freeze authority can freeze accounts (Freeze account).
Like the mint authority, it can be revoked by setting it to none, which is permanent (Set authority).
Why stablecoins keep it
Regulated issuers use the freeze authority to comply with court orders and sanctions. In May 2025, for example, Circle froze about $58 million of USDC on Solana in two wallets linked to the team behind the LIBRA token, following a court order (Decrypt). For a stablecoin from a known, regulated issuer, an active freeze authority is expected.
Why it matters on new tokens
On a newly launched token there is rarely a legitimate reason to keep it. An active freeze authority means the creator could freeze buyers' accounts so that only selected wallets can sell: a pattern often called a honeypot. Market data alone will not show it until accounts are frozen.
RateKite's Risk Score adds 5 points when the freeze authority is active. A related signal is the buy/sell balance: when over 92% of at least 30 transactions are buys, the score adds 8 points, because it can indicate that selling is restricted.
How to check it
- On any RateKite token page, the Mint/freeze authority line of the Risk Score breakdown says whether the freeze authority is active or revoked, when the data is available.
- On a Solana block explorer, open the token's mint address: the freeze authority field shows an address, or that it is disabled.
A revoked freeze authority removes one way to block sales, not all of them. See how to check a new token and mint authority.
Not covered: Token-2022 extensions
Tokens created with the Token-2022 program can restrict transfers in other ways, for example with transfer hooks, or start every new account frozen by default. These are not part of RateKite's score; check them on a block explorer.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a frozen token account still sell?
- No. A frozen account cannot transfer, receive or burn that token until the freeze authority thaws it.
- Can a revoked freeze authority be restored?
- No. Setting the freeze authority to none is permanent; after that no account of that token can be frozen.
- Is an active freeze authority always a red flag?
- Not for regulated stablecoins such as USDC, whose issuers use it to comply with legal orders. On a newly launched memecoin it is a warning sign.
- How many Risk Score points does an active freeze authority add?
- Five points, inside the Mint/freeze authority factor (maximum 15, with 10 for an active mint authority).