Sniping (sniper bots)
Sniping is buying a new token in the first blocks after it can be traded, usually with a bot that watches for launches or migrations and submits orders automatically. Snipers aim to get the lowest prices. Their positions are often sold quickly into later buyers.
How sniping works
A sniper bot watches for a trigger: a new token, a new liquidity pool, or a token migrating to a DEX. It then sends a buy with preset size, slippage and fees. GMGN's Telegram sniper bot, for example, offers automatic buys, a channel announcing new liquidity pools, and adjustable slippage and priority fees. Axiom lists buy-on-migration and sell-on-migration tools among its features.
Speed comes from fees. On Solana, a higher priority fee raises the chance the block leader schedules your transaction first, and Jito tips bid for inclusion in Jito's auction. When many snipers compete for one launch, much of the advantage goes to whoever pays the most.
How snipers show up in holder data
GMGN labels buyers in the first few blocks after trading opens as snipers. It tracks whether they still hold, bought more, sold part or sold all. Bubblemaps groups same-block buys at launch as a bundle. It notes that these are often sniper bots or a team pre-loading its own token.
Risks for snipers and for everyone else
Sniping means buying before you can see much: no trading history, little time to check authorities, and wide slippage settings. That leaves little time for the authority, liquidity and holder checks that catch honeypots and rugs.
For later buyers, a high sniper share means a group bought far below the current price and can sell together. Bubblemaps calls a bundle holding 10% or more of supply a major red flag.
What it means before you trade
If you buy a new token, check the sniper and bundle share and whether those wallets are already selling. If you use a sniper bot, set hard limits on size, slippage and fees, and expect many trades to lose.
Where this shows up
- GMGN — Multichain memecoin traders who want smart-money tracking and copy trading across a web terminal and Telegram bots.
- Banana Gun — Traders sniping new launches on Ethereum and other EVM chains who also want a Solana bot and a web terminal under one account.
- Maestro — Traders who want one Telegram bot for sniping and copy trading across many EVM chains plus Solana, Tron and TON.
- Axiom — Desktop Solana and BNB Chain memecoin traders who want spot, Hyperliquid perps and wallet tracking in one web terminal.
- Trojan — Solana memecoin traders outside the US and EU who want one account across a Telegram bot and a web terminal.
- Bubblemaps — Traders and researchers who want a quick visual check of whether a token's supply is concentrated in linked wallets before buying.
Sources
Last checked . Fees and terms change often; the venue's own page wins if it disagrees with ours.
- GMGN TG Sniper Bot - SOL (GMGN docs) — checked 2026-10-16
- Insider Traders, Snipers, First 70 Buyers (GMGN docs) — checked 2026-10-16
- Axiom docs — checked 2026-10-16
- Fees (Solana docs) — checked 2026-10-16
- Low Latency Transaction Send (Jito docs) — checked 2026-10-16
- What's the Difference Between Bundle & Cluster? (Bubblemaps blog) — checked 2026-10-16