> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.novamp.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.novamp.io/protocol/bonding-and-graduation.md).

# Bonding & Graduation

What a bonding curve and graduation actually are, where they apply (Solana and legacy pre-Path B HyperEVM SherSwap markets), and why EVM direct-pool launches have neither.

A **bonding curve** is a pricing mechanism where a token's price is set by a formula against how much has been bought, and **graduation** is the moment that market migrates from the curve to a normal DEX pool. This page explains both — and, crucially, **where they apply and where they don't** on Novamp.

{% hint style="danger" %}
🚫 **Novamp's direct-pool EVM chains have no bonding curve and no graduation.** On `🟢 Robinhood Chain` `🔵 Base` `🟡 BNB Chain` `⚪ Ethereum` `🟣 HyperEVM`, new tokens launch **directly onto a real Uniswap / PancakeSwap / HyperSwap pool** and are tradable from block 0. Bonding curves apply only to **Solana** (Pump.fun) and **legacy HyperEVM SherSwap markets** launched before Path B (2026-07-21).
{% endhint %}

## Overview

| Concept                | What it means                                                                                                                                                      |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Bonding curve**      | An automated pricing formula: each buy pushes the price up along the curve, each sell moves it back down. Liquidity is held by the curve contract, not a DEX pool. |
| **Graduation**         | When a curve market fills to a set threshold, its liquidity **migrates to a DEX** (e.g. Pump.fun → PumpSwap). After graduation it trades like any normal pool.     |
| **Direct-pool launch** | Novamp's EVM model: the token and a real DEX pool are created together in one transaction. There is nothing to graduate — it's already a DEX market.               |

## Where each model applies

| Chain                                    | Model                               | Curve? | Graduation? |
| ---------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- | ------ | ----------- |
| `🟢 Robinhood Chain`                     | Direct-pool (Uniswap v3)            | ❌ No   | ❌ No        |
| `🔵 Base`                                | Direct-pool (Uniswap v2 + v3)       | ❌ No   | ❌ No        |
| `🟡 BNB Chain`                           | Direct-pool (PancakeSwap v2 + v3)   | ❌ No   | ❌ No        |
| `⚪ Ethereum`                             | Direct-pool (Uniswap v2 + v3)       | ❌ No   | ❌ No        |
| `🟣 HyperEVM` (new launches)             | Direct-pool (HyperSwap v3)          | ❌ No   | ❌ No        |
| `🟪 Solana`                              | Bonding curve (Pump.fun → PumpSwap) | ✅ Yes  | ✅ Yes       |
| HyperEVM legacy markets (pre-2026-07-21) | Bonding curve (SherSwap)            | ✅ Yes  | ✅ Yes       |

{% hint style="success" %}
✅ HyperEVM's direct-pool launchpad — **Path B**, on HyperSwap v3 — went **live 2026-07-21**. New launches have no curve and no graduation, exactly like RHC/Base/BNB/Ethereum. Only markets that launched on HyperEVM **before** that date remain on the legacy SherSwap curve.
{% endhint %}

## How a bonding curve works (Solana / legacy HyperEVM markets)

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  A[Launch on curve] --> B[Buys push price up the curve]
  B --> C[Sells move price back down]
  C --> D{Threshold reached?}
  D -- "No" --> B
  D -- "Yes" --> E[Graduate: liquidity migrates to DEX]
  E --> F[Trades on a standard DEX pool]
```

On the curve, there is no order book and no external liquidity provider — the curve contract quotes every trade. When enough has been bought to hit the graduation threshold, the accumulated liquidity is moved into a DEX pool and the token trades normally from then on.

## Why EVM direct-pool launches skip all of this

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  A[NovampLaunchFactory.launch] --> B[Seeder creates + seeds the DEX pool]
  B --> C[Token live on a real Uniswap/PancakeSwap/HyperSwap pool]
  C --> D[Tradable from block 0 — nothing to graduate]
```

Because Novamp seeds a real pool at launch, there is no intermediate curve phase and no migration event. Price discovery happens on the DEX from the first block. This is a deliberate design choice: it removes the graduation cliff and the uncertainty of "will it graduate?" entirely on EVM.

## AntiVamp "MC-goal graduation" — a different meaning

AntiVamp uses the word **graduation** for something unrelated to a bonding curve: it's a **market-cap milestone that triggers a copycat lock**. When a launch reaches its market-cap goal, AntiVamp applies a **time-limited** cross-chain lock on that identity so copycats can't ride its momentum.

{% hint style="info" %}
Two different "graduations":

* **Curve graduation** (Solana / legacy HyperEVM) = liquidity migrates from a bonding curve to a DEX.
* **AntiVamp MC-goal "graduation"** = a market-cap milestone that *triggers a time-limited identity lock*. It does **not** move liquidity anywhere.
  {% endhint %}

Indicative AntiVamp copycat-lock durations (defaults; the longest relevant lock applies):

| Trigger                                       | Reserved launch | Unreserved launch |
| --------------------------------------------- | --------------- | ----------------- |
| Launch **bonds / graduates** (MC goal)        | 60 days         | 48 hours          |
| Launch reaches **\~$1M market cap** milestone | 90 days         | 7 days            |

These locks are **time-limited and reversible** — only a manual guardian block is permanent (and even that is guardian-reversible). See [Post-Launch Protection](/identity-protection/post-launch-protection.md).

## Important details

| Property              | Detail                                                                                   |
| --------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| EVM launches          | Direct-pool (incl. HyperEVM since 2026-07-21), no curve, no graduation, tradable block 0 |
| Curve launches        | Solana (Pump.fun → PumpSwap) and legacy pre-Path B HyperEVM markets (SherSwap)           |
| Solana fee            | 0.3% pool fee, split 60% creator / 40% Novamp                                            |
| AntiVamp "graduation" | A market-cap trigger for a time-limited identity lock — not a curve event                |

## What happens next?

* Launching on EVM? You're going straight to a real pool — see [Launch a Token](/creators/launching-a-token.md).
* Launching on Solana? The curve applies — see [Launching on Solana](/creators/solana-pump.md).

## Continue exploring

* [🧠 How Novamp Works](/protocol/how-novamp-works.md) — both models in one view
* [⛓️ Supported Chains](/welcome-to-novamp/supported-chains.md) — venue per chain
* [🛡️ What Is AntiVamp?](/identity-protection/what-is-antivamp.md) — the identity layer
* [🗂️ Glossary](/resources/glossary.md) — bonding curve, graduation, and more


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