Everyone says DYOR on Solana memes, but what does that actually look like?

Real talk – when someone posts “found the next 100x gem, DYOR” I used to have no idea what research actually meant for memecoins.

After getting rugged 8 times, here’s my actual checklist now (still get rugged sometimes, but less):

Step 1: Contract basics (2 mins)

• Rugcheck xyz – scanning for mint authority, freeze authority
• If either exists = usually instant pass (dev can rug anytime)
• Check LP lock on Solscan – anything under 3 months is sus

Step 2: Holder analysis (3 mins)

• Top 10 holders on Solscan
• If they own >40% combined = whales will dump on you
• Check if top wallets are exchanging with each other (insider trading pattern)

Step 3: Community vibe check (5 mins)

• Telegram: Real questions or just “wen lambo” spam?
• Twitter: Organic growth or paid shill army?
• Recent wallet activity: Steady buys or one massive pump?

Step 4: Exit strategy BEFORE buying

• Set profit targets: 3x? 5x? 10x?
• Where will you actually sell?

I use Banana Pro to set auto-sells at my targets. Stops me from holding through pumps thinking “this will 100x” when I should take profits at 5x.

What I learned the hard way:

Even with perfect DYOR, most Solana memes still rug or die. The goal isn’t avoiding ALL losses – it’s making sure the winners (3x, 5x, 10x) cover the losers.

Position sizing matters: Never more than 2-3% per memecoin. If 7/10 rug but 3/10 do 10x, you’re still up overall.

So…

What’s YOUR actual DYOR process? Do you follow similar steps or completely different approach?

And honestly – how many of you actually DYOR vs just aping based on CT vibes?