If you're trying to sell or send a token and can't, it may be frozen. When a token is frozen on Solana, you cannot send, swap, or sell it. This is controlled by the token creator, not Phantom. If a token you hold is frozen, there is usually nothing Phantom can do. You would need to contact the token project directly.

Why a token may be frozen #

On Solana, some tokens are created with freeze authority. This gives the token creator the ability to restrict transfers on any account holding that token.

There are legitimate reasons a project might use this, such as responding to fraud or meeting regulatory requirements. However, scammers also abuse it.

How scammers use freeze authority #

A common scam pattern looks like this:

1. The scammer launches a token and keeps freeze authority enabled.
2. They promote it through airdrops, social posts, or liquidity pools.
3. More users buy in as interest and price increase.
4. The scammer freezes other holders so those tokens cannot be sold or transferred.
5. The scammer sells their own tokens while everyone else is stuck.

How to protect yourself #

Before buying a token, research the project and check whether freeze authority is still enabled. Be especially cautious with tokens from anonymous or unverified creators.