Many people think that checking whether a token can be minted without limit just involves searching for "Mint" or "Mintable" in the block explorer. This is a common misconception — "Mint" is merely the execution entry point for the minting function; what truly determines whether unlimited minting is possible is the existence of the "Minter Role" permission and who holds that permission.
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Below are 3 steps to bypass the misconception of "only searching for the Mint function" and thoroughly check the risks of token minting.
Prerequisite: Understand that "Permission" is the Key, "Mint" is Just the Keyhole
The minting function in code is called mint(). But just seeing the function name is useless; the key is to see "who has the authority to call it" — that is, the "permission model".
In enhanced versions of ERC-20 (such as OpenZeppelin's Access Control), there is a role called MINTER_ROLE. The address that holds this role is the one who can actually press the "minting button".
So the correct inspection process is not "finding the Mint function", but "finding the person who can operate the Mint function."
Step 1: Use Automated Tools for a "Full Scan" — Not Manual Keyword Searching
Manually searching for "mint" in code is prone to missing things, especially when function names are disguised or hidden in proxy contracts. Use a professional contract security detection tool that can run all risk checks at once.
What to do: Paste the token contract address into a general blockchain security tool.
How to do it:
Use GetBlock's Token Risks API (free online scanner), which supports 29 chains including Ethereum, BSC, and Base, and can automatically perform 20 security checks, including "Hidden mint functions that allow unlimited supply inflation after deployment".
Use the built-in "Token Detection" tool in TokenPocket wallet. It has a separate "Minting Permission" check that directly tells you whether the project party can still mint tokens.
Check the analysis report of open-source tools like Tokenomics Analyzer, which explicitly lists "Identify minting, burning, and owner/admin privileges".
When is this step complete: You have obtained a report from an automated tool that at least confirms the status of the "minting permission" item, rather than relying on your own naked-eye scanning.
Common failure reason: Only glancing at the contract code for the word "mint", without seeing which function calls it or what permissions are required to call it. A mint function that is hidden or controlled by a specific role is the real source of risk.
Step 2: Check "Permission Assignment" on the Block Explorer — Find the Person Holding the Minting Key
If the tool shows that minting permission exists, the next step is to check on-chain who holds that key.
What to do: On the contract page of Etherscan or BscScan, use the Read Contract function.
How to do it:
Case A (using standard Access Control): Find the
hasRolefunction, input the role identifierMINTER_ROLE(usually0x9f2df0fed2c77648de5860a4cc508cd0818c85b8b8a1ab4ceeef8d981c8956a6) and the wallet address you want to query, check if the return result istrue.Case B (using Ownable mode): Find the
owner()function and see which address is returned. In some older token models, only the contract Owner can call mint.Check the
totalSupplyfunction to see if it matches the "Holders" total shown on the block explorer. If the code sets a "max supply" (maxSupply), check if this limit is less than2^256-1.
When is this step complete: You have obtained a specific address (or a multi-signature wallet address), which is the actual controller who can trigger minting.
Step 3: Distinguish "Soft Limits" from "Hard Limits" — Don't Be Fooled by "Total Supply"
Even if there is maxSupply (maximum supply) in the code, it could be bypassed. Some contracts allow "annual minting" or "dynamic minting," not just one-time minting.
What to do: Check whether minting has "hard condition" restrictions.
How to do it:
Check if there is a time lock or cliff lock: Even if minting permission is retained, many projects set "unlock periods" rather than unlimited instant minting.
Check if there is a quantity cap: See if the
mintfunction containsrequire(totalSupply() + amount <= maxSupply, "Exceeds max supply"). If this line is missing, or themaxSupplyvalue is extremely large (close to2^256-1), then in practice it is unlimited minting.Check if it depends on external conditions: In some complex protocols, minting is triggered by oracles or governance votes. If the minting permission has been handed over to a DAO that cannot be controlled by a single entity, this is a relatively safe "hard limit."
When is this step complete: You have confirmed whether minting is "unconditional" (can be done at any time) or "conditionally restricted" (with a cap, lock-up period).
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How to Confirm the Operation is Correct?
After completing these three steps, you should be able to accurately answer the following questions:
Who has the minting permission? (Specific wallet address)
Is there a total supply cap? (Is there a specific number, or can it be minted infinitely?)
If minting occurs, where can it be recorded? (In the block explorer's "Transfer" events, search for transactions with the source
0x000...000(minting address))
If the result is "the minting permission is in the hands of a regular EOA wallet" and "there is no hard supply cap," the token is extremely high risk. If the result is "the minting permission has been renounced (renounceRole)" or "can only be triggered by multi-sig DAO governance," it is relatively safe.
