ChainThink report, according to exclusive coverage by Sandmark, Pump.fun laid off staff approximately two months prior to the token unlock event, resulting in at least one former employee missing out on a PUMP token allocation valued in the seven figures at current prices.

The layoffs occurred in early April, with affected employees originally scheduled to begin token vesting in June, two months later. The employees had signed token agreements in June 2025, with one-quarter of their allocation set to unlock after one year.

In internal meeting recordings, co-founder Noah Tweedale cited the company's "rapid expansion" as the reason for the layoffs. Former employees also reported a second round of layoffs in mid-July, with over 40 personnel terminated within the past two months.

One employee claimed they were laid off the day before their token unlock, though Sandmark was unable to independently verify this claim.

Pump.fun operates under the name Baton Corporation Ltd in the UK, has restricted access for UK users since December 2024, and remains on regulatory watchlists;

The company previously experienced an internal theft incident in 2024, during which approximately $2 million in funds were illicitly transferred by an employee; the individual involved has since been sentenced to six years in prison.