# How to check a Robinhood Chain token's buy and sell tax

> Get the real buy and sell tax of any Robinhood Chain token in one call, measured from recent trades and checked by simulation. Real examples with a 5% sell tax and a 7% buy tax.

Source: https://docs.crius.sh/guides/check-token-taxes/ · Updated 2026-10-28

Short answer

Call `GET /v1/robinhood/token/{address}/security` and read `tax.buy_pct` and `tax.sell_pct`. They are measured from what real buyers and sellers paid (`tax.source: "realized"`), backed by a buy-and-sell simulation where the token has a Uniswap v2 WETH pair. A tax over 5% adds the `tax_over_5pct` flag, over 10% `high_tax`. No API key needed.

[GET `/token/{address}/security`](https://docs.crius.sh/reference/security/security-checks/)

A token tax is the share of each trade the token (or its pool) keeps for itself: with Recast’s 7% buy tax, $100 of ETH buys about $93 of tokens, and with Ruby’s 5% sell tax you get about 5% less than the pool paid out. Crius measures it from real trades on Robinhood Chain, so the number you get is what buyers and sellers actually paid in the last 30 days, not what a contract claims. One call to `/security` returns the buy tax, the sell tax, how sure the number is and every past change.

How sure is the number?

A realized tax is only as good as the trades behind it: check `tax.confidence` and `tax.realized.samples`, and treat `tax.source: "none"` as unknown, not zero. A tax raised a minute ago shows up as new trades arrive. See [Security score: confidence and limitations](https://docs.crius.sh/concepts/security-score-limits/).

## Get the buy and sell tax in one call

Example [Anonymous · no key · 1 credit](https://docs.crius.sh/reference/security/security-checks/)

### A 5% sell tax: Ruby (RUBY)

Ruby (0x8b5a7a19fbd3d8e8422643fc229b3ab08697c0be) has a renounced contract. What does it really cost to sell?

GET/v1/robinhood/token/0x8b5a7a19fbd3d8e8422643fc229b3ab08697c0be/security

  

**cURL**

```bash
curl "https://api.crius.sh/v1/robinhood/token/0x8b5a7a19fbd3d8e8422643fc229b3ab08697c0be/security"
```

**JavaScript**

```js
const res = await fetch("https://api.crius.sh/v1/robinhood/token/0x8b5a7a19fbd3d8e8422643fc229b3ab08697c0be/security");
const { data, meta } = await res.json();
```

**Python**

```python
import requests

r = requests.get(
    "https://api.crius.sh/v1/robinhood/token/0x8b5a7a19fbd3d8e8422643fc229b3ab08697c0be/security",
)
body = r.json()
print(body["data"])
```

**Real response 200 Captured Oct 28, 2026 · 191 lines (arrays trimmed)**

```json
{
  "data": {
    "contract": {
      "blacklist": false,
      "can_change_limits": false,
      "can_change_tax": false,
      "cooldown": false,
      "implementation": null,
      "is_proxy": false,
      "mintable": false,
      "owner": "0x000000000000000000000000000000000000dead",
      "ownership": "renounced",
      "pausable": false,
      "proxy_kind": null,
      "self_destruct": false,
      "trading_switch": false,
      "upgradeable": false,
      "verified": "none"
    },
    "flags": [
      "tax_over_5pct",
      "hook_can_block_swaps",
      "hook_medium_risk",
      "unverified"
    ],
    "honeypot": {
      "is_honeypot": false,
      "reason": null,
      "selective": false
    },
    "hook": {
      "address": "0x97240e95756c7b70db1ffaeee85a6c091c33a4ce",
      "capabilities": {
        "can_block_swaps": true,
        "can_gate_liquidity": false,
        "can_modify_liquidity_amounts": true,
        "can_modify_swap_amounts": true
      },
      "code": {
        "admin_functions": [],
        "checked_ts": 1793207142599,
        "code_hash": "0x5cb5a35842eb82ff5c9dbed2dca84d023823d841a2c0fc642568bc8ff276f72f",
        "family": "0xaa8854cbf2bd",
        "kind": "contract",
        "logic": null,
        "owner": "0x33acedd086ee7fec19764b5f4a93a6ef067953f5",
        "ownership": "active",
        "size": 24040
      },
      "family": {
        "honeypot_pct": 0,
        "hooks": 3,
        "id": "0xaa8854cbf2bd",
        "liquidity_pulled_pct": 0,
        "pools_traded": 10,
        "taxed_pct": 90,
        "verified_hooks": 0
      },
      "flags": [
        {
          "evidence": "7 of its 7 measured pools take 1%+ per trade (median per pool, up to 6.3%); only 10.83% of traded hooked pools tax at all",
          "flag": "tax_observed",
          "severity": "medium"
        },
        {
          "evidence": "can take part of every swap (return delta); 4.55% of traded pools of hooks that can block swaps and change swap amounts taxed, 0.61% became honeypots",
          "flag": "can_modify_swap_amounts",
          "severity": "low"
        }
      ],
      "name": null,
      "observed": {
        "dynamic_tax_pools": 0,
        "first_trade_ts": 1793119940000,
        "honeypot_pools": 0,
        "last_trade_ts": 1793223286000,
        "liquidity_pulled_pct": 0,
        "liquidity_pulled_pools": 0,
        "max_buy_tax_pct": 2.545,
        "max_sell_tax_pct": 6.28,
        "median_pool_life_min": 1380,
        "pools": 18,
        "pools_traded": 8,
        "tax_measured_pools": 7,
        "taxed_10pct_pools": 0,
        "taxed_pools": 7,
        "volume_usd": 924751
      },
      "pattern": {
        "description": "hooks that can block swaps and change swap amounts",
        "honeypot_pct": 0.608377,
        "id": "before_swap_with_delta",
        "liquidity_pulled_pct": 21.5893,
        "pools_traded": 18574,
        "taxed_pct": 4.55475
      },
      "permissions": [
        "beforeInitialize",
        "afterAddLiquidity",
        "beforeSwap",
        "afterSwap",
        "beforeSwapReturnDelta"
      ],
      "risk": [
        "can_block_or_reprice_swaps",
        "can_modify_swap_amounts",
        "can_modify_liquidity_amounts",
        "unverified"
      ],
      "risk_level": "medium"
    },
    "known_asset": false,
    "launch": {
      "flags": [],
      "lp_top_wallet": {
        "address": "0x20ac92362ead44f457913ca1a6c24fae049078d9",
        "liquidity_usd": 23.0571,
        "pct": 0.214633
      },
      "sniper_supply_pct": 1.77655,
      "sniper_top_wallet_pct": 1.77655,
      "sniper_wallets": 1,
      "sniper_window_blocks": 10,
      "uniform_holders": null,
      "wallet_farm": null
    },
    "limits": {},
    "liquidity": {
      "status": "partially_locked",
      "summary": {
        "burned_pct": 99.2777,
        "locked_pct": 0,
        "next_unlock_ts": null,
        "protocol_fee_pct": 0,
        "unlocked_in_wallets_pct": 0.722259,
        "weighting": "by pool liquidity_usd"
      }
    },
    "primary_dex": "uniswap_v4",
    "risk": "medium",
    "score": 70,
    "tax": {
      "buy_pct": 0.84,
      "confidence": "high",
      "realized": {
        "buy_pct": 0.84,
        "by_wallet_class": {
          "dev_sell_pct": null,
          "others_sell_pct": 5.28
        },
        "last_sample_ts": 1793221716000,
        "max_sell_pct_seen": 16.65,
        "samples": {
          "buys": 8,
          "sells": 240
        },
        "sell_pct": 5.28,
        "window": "30d"
      },
      "sell_pct": 5.28,
      "simulated": null,
      "source": "realized",
      "transfer_pct": null
    },
    "tax_history": [
      {
        "from_block": 99421932,
        "pct": 5,
        "side": "sell"
      },
      {
        "from_block": 99791485,
        "pct": 1,
        "side": "buy"
      }
    ],
    "tax_history_total": 2,
    "tax_mode": "static",
    "token": "0x8b5a7a19fbd3d8e8422643fc229b3ab08697c0be"
  },
  "meta": {
    "block": 100406622,
    "block_age_ms": 595,
    "block_ts": 1793225060000,
    "chain": "robinhood",
    "finalized_block": 100397649,
    "lag_ms": 100,
    "safe_block": 100401329,
    "simulation": "no V2 WETH pair: realized tax only"
  }
}
```

What this tells you

-   `tax.sell_pct: 5.28` and `tax.buy_pct: 0.84`, from real trades (`tax.source: "realized"`, `confidence: "high"`). `tax.realized.samples` counts 240 sells and 8 buys measured.
-   `tax.realized.by_wallet_class.others_sell_pct: 5.28` is what ordinary sellers pay; `dev_sell_pct: null` means the developer hasn’t sold, so there is nothing to compare.
-   `tax.realized.max_sell_pct_seen: 16.65` is the worst single sell. The headline rate is a median of recent trades, so one unlucky trade doesn’t set it.
-   `tax_history` shows a 5% sell tax from block 99421932 and a 1% buy tax from block 99791485; `tax_mode: "static"` means neither side has changed since.
-   The token contract can’t tax: `contract.can_change_tax: false`, `ownership: "renounced"`. The tax comes from the pool’s v4 hook, whose `hook.flags` include `tax_observed` (“7 of its 7 measured pools take 1%+ per trade… up to 6.3%”).
-   The 5.28% costs 15 points (`tax_over_5pct`), and the hook costs 10 more (`hook_medium_risk`): `score: 70`, `risk: "medium"`.

[Security checks reference](https://docs.crius.sh/reference/security/security-checks/) Runs from your browser on the anonymous plan [Data looks wrong? Report it](mailto:support@crius.sh?subject=Wrong%20data%20in%20docs%20example%3A%20A%205%25%20sell%20tax%3A%20Ruby%20\(RUBY\)&body=Page%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.crius.sh%2Fguides%2Fcheck-token-taxes%2F%23sell-tax%0ARequest%3A%20GET%20%2Fv1%2Frobinhood%2Ftoken%2F0x8b5a7a19fbd3d8e8422643fc229b3ab08697c0be%2Fsecurity%0A%0AWhat's%20wrong%20or%20missing%3F%0A%0A)

Example [Anonymous · no key · 1 credit](https://docs.crius.sh/reference/security/security-checks/)

### A 7% buy tax that changed over time: Recast (CAST)

Recast (0xb656eadd009b3b409d7a0971e50df2f0e4ddef5a) is a graduated Pons token. How much do buyers lose?

GET/v1/robinhood/token/0xb656eadd009b3b409d7a0971e50df2f0e4ddef5a/security

  

**cURL**

```bash
curl "https://api.crius.sh/v1/robinhood/token/0xb656eadd009b3b409d7a0971e50df2f0e4ddef5a/security"
```

**JavaScript**

```js
const res = await fetch("https://api.crius.sh/v1/robinhood/token/0xb656eadd009b3b409d7a0971e50df2f0e4ddef5a/security");
const { data, meta } = await res.json();
```

**Python**

```python
import requests

r = requests.get(
    "https://api.crius.sh/v1/robinhood/token/0xb656eadd009b3b409d7a0971e50df2f0e4ddef5a/security",
)
body = r.json()
print(body["data"])
```

**Real response 200 Captured Oct 28, 2026 · 188 lines (arrays trimmed)**

```json
{
  "data": {
    "contract": {
      "blacklist": false,
      "can_change_limits": false,
      "can_change_tax": false,
      "cooldown": false,
      "implementation": null,
      "is_proxy": false,
      "mintable": false,
      "owner": null,
      "ownership": "none",
      "pausable": false,
      "proxy_kind": null,
      "self_destruct": false,
      "trading_switch": false,
      "upgradeable": false,
      "verified": null
    },
    "flags": [
      "tax_over_5pct",
      "unverified"
    ],
    "honeypot": {
      "is_honeypot": false,
      "reason": null,
      "selective": false
    },
    "hook": {
      "address": "0xe5e702641ea86f4ae6cc3cdaed2b886f976be044",
      "capabilities": {
        "can_block_swaps": false,
        "can_gate_liquidity": false,
        "can_modify_liquidity_amounts": false,
        "can_modify_swap_amounts": true
      },
      "code": {
        "admin_functions": [],
        "checked_ts": 1793207140434,
        "code_hash": "0xc21b1e6c1b45403e81a581f22ed6d9c747997af1cfdac1b1dc9f4b1d346a10db",
        "family": "0xabda3266e50c",
        "kind": "contract",
        "logic": null,
        "owner": "0x263ed295dafae1d9aadd6e56c4b6f9f38ee019dd",
        "ownership": "active",
        "size": 15167
      },
      "family": {
        "honeypot_pct": 0,
        "hooks": 22,
        "id": "0xabda3266e50c",
        "liquidity_pulled_pct": 0.684086,
        "pools_traded": 10525,
        "taxed_pct": 51.9715,
        "verified_hooks": 1
      },
      "flags": [],
      "name": "PonsV2MemeHook",
      "observed": {
        "dynamic_tax_pools": 13,
        "first_trade_ts": 1785866942000,
        "honeypot_pools": 0,
        "last_trade_ts": 1793223683000,
        "liquidity_pulled_pct": 0.66813,
        "liquidity_pulled_pools": 70,
        "max_buy_tax_pct": 10.99,
        "max_sell_tax_pct": 0.7,
        "median_pool_life_min": 53423.5,
        "pools": 10478,
        "pools_traded": 10477,
        "tax_measured_pools": 10392,
        "taxed_10pct_pools": 35,
        "taxed_pools": 5463,
        "volume_usd": 5384607135
      },
      "pattern": {
        "description": "hooks that change swap amounts only",
        "honeypot_pct": 0.0696347,
        "id": "swap_delta_only",
        "liquidity_pulled_pct": 7.93603,
        "pools_traded": 43082,
        "taxed_pct": 15.7537
      },
      "permissions": [
        "beforeInitialize",
        "afterSwap",
        "afterSwapReturnDelta"
      ],
      "risk": [
        "can_modify_swap_amounts"
      ],
      "risk_level": "low"
    },
    "known_asset": false,
    "launch": {
      "flags": [],
      "lp_top_wallet": {
        "address": "0x441568fdd10b00ddc90b4a95aee03d8d06242283",
        "liquidity_usd": 2.08528,
        "pct": 0.0195019
      },
      "sniper_supply_pct": 0.61622,
      "sniper_top_wallet_pct": 0.61622,
      "sniper_wallets": 1,
      "sniper_window_blocks": 10,
      "uniform_holders": null,
      "wallet_farm": null
    },
    "limits": {},
    "liquidity": {
      "status": "locked",
      "summary": {
        "burned_pct": 0,
        "locked_pct": 99.9805,
        "next_unlock_ts": null,
        "protocol_fee_pct": 0,
        "unlocked_in_wallets_pct": 0.019502,
        "weighting": "by pool liquidity_usd"
      }
    },
    "primary_dex": "uniswap_v4",
    "risk": "low",
    "score": 80,
    "tax": {
      "buy_pct": 6.99,
      "confidence": "high",
      "realized": {
        "buy_pct": 6.99,
        "by_wallet_class": {
          "dev_sell_pct": null,
          "others_sell_pct": 0
        },
        "last_sample_ts": 1793223683000,
        "max_sell_pct_seen": 1,
        "samples": {
          "buys": 1107,
          "sells": 530
        },
        "sell_pct": 0,
        "window": "30d"
      },
      "sell_pct": 0,
      "simulated": null,
      "source": "realized",
      "transfer_pct": null
    },
    "tax_history": [
      {
        "from_block": 82850924,
        "pct": 0,
        "side": "buy"
      },
      {
        "from_block": 82929088,
        "pct": 0,
        "side": "sell"
      },
      {
        "from_block": 85677230,
        "pct": 1,
        "side": "buy"
      },
      {
        "from_block": 85686101,
        "pct": 0,
        "side": "buy"
      },
      {
        "from_block": 90626923,
        "pct": 7,
        "side": "buy"
      }
    ],
    "tax_history_total": 9,
    "tax_mode": "dynamic",
    "token": "0xb656eadd009b3b409d7a0971e50df2f0e4ddef5a"
  },
  "meta": {
    "block": 100406621,
    "block_age_ms": 400,
    "block_ts": 1793225060000,
    "chain": "robinhood",
    "finalized_block": 100397649,
    "lag_ms": 10,
    "safe_block": 100401329,
    "simulation": "no V2 WETH pair: realized tax only"
  }
}
```

What this tells you

-   `tax.buy_pct: 6.99` and `tax.sell_pct: 0`, measured over 1,107 buys and 530 sells (`confidence: "high"`).
-   `tax_mode: "dynamic"`: the buy tax has moved. `tax_history_total: 9` changes; the first ones show the buy side going from 0 to 1%, back to 0, then 7% from block 90626923.
-   `tax.simulated: null` and `meta.simulation: "no V2 WETH pair: realized tax only"`: the token only trades in a Uniswap v4 pool, so there is no router simulation and the realized rate is the answer.
-   `flags: ["tax_over_5pct", "unverified"]` and `score: 80`, still `risk: "low"`. The score treats a 7% buy tax as a cost, not a trap: you can buy and sell, you just pay for it.

[Security checks reference](https://docs.crius.sh/reference/security/security-checks/) Runs from your browser on the anonymous plan [Data looks wrong? Report it](mailto:support@crius.sh?subject=Wrong%20data%20in%20docs%20example%3A%20A%207%25%20buy%20tax%20that%20changed%20over%20time%3A%20Recast%20\(CAST\)&body=Page%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.crius.sh%2Fguides%2Fcheck-token-taxes%2F%23buy-tax%0ARequest%3A%20GET%20%2Fv1%2Frobinhood%2Ftoken%2F0xb656eadd009b3b409d7a0971e50df2f0e4ddef5a%2Fsecurity%0A%0AWhat's%20wrong%20or%20missing%3F%0A%0A)

## What the tax fields mean

| Field | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| `tax.buy_pct`, `tax.sell_pct` | The current tax in percent, from real trades where there are any, else from the simulation. `null` when there is nothing to measure. |
| `tax.source` | `realized` (real trades), `realized+simulated` (buys from trades, sells from the simulation), `simulated`, or `none`. |
| `tax.confidence` | `high` with 20+ measured trades, `medium` with 3+, `low` below that. |
| `tax.realized.samples` | How many buys and sells were measured. |
| `tax.realized.by_wallet_class` | `others_sell_pct` for ordinary sellers and `dev_sell_pct` for the developer, measured separately. |
| `tax.realized.max_sell_pct_seen` | The highest tax a single sell paid. Much higher than `sell_pct` means some sells were hit hard. |
| `tax.simulated` | The simulated buy → transfer → sell at the latest block (`can_buy`, `can_sell`, `buy_pct`, `sell_pct`, `transfer_pct`, `revert_reason`), or `null` without a Uniswap v2 WETH pair. |
| `tax.transfer_pct` | Tax on a plain wallet-to-wallet transfer, from the simulation. |
| `tax_mode` | `static`, or `dynamic` when a side's measured rate has changed more than once. |
| `tax_history` | Each change: `from_block`, `side` (`buy` or `sell`) and `pct` in whole percent. `tax_history_total` counts them all. |
| `contract.can_change_tax` | The contract has a function to change its tax. It only matters while `contract.ownership` is `active`. |

How the realized and simulated numbers are produced, and when they disagree, is explained in [How Crius measures taxes](https://docs.crius.sh/concepts/taxes/).

## Use it in your app

1.  **Call `/security` for the token.** It’s on the anonymous plan; with a key it costs 1 credit. The tax fields come back with the rest of the security check.
    
2.  **Show both sides and the evidence.** Display `buy_pct` and `sell_pct` with `confidence`, and say when they come from fewer than 20 trades.
    
3.  **Warn on taxes that can move.** Treat `tax_mode: "dynamic"`, `contract.can_change_tax` with an active owner, or a hook flagged `fee_changeable` or `dynamic_tax` as “the tax may change after you buy”.
    
4.  **Use the tax in your quote.** Take `buy_pct` off the tokens a user expects to receive and `sell_pct` off the ETH they expect back, so the slippage setting covers the tax.
    

```js
// Read a token's tax before quoting a trade.
const token = "0x8b5a7a19fbd3d8e8422643fc229b3ab08697c0be"; // Ruby
const res = await fetch(`https://api.crius.sh/v1/robinhood/token/${token}/security`);
const { data } = await res.json();
const { buy_pct, sell_pct, source, confidence } = data.tax;

console.log(`buy ${buy_pct ?? "?"}%, sell ${sell_pct ?? "?"}% (${source}, ${confidence} confidence)`);
if (data.tax_mode === "dynamic") console.warn(`tax has changed ${data.tax_history_total} times`);
if (data.flags.includes("high_tax")) console.warn("tax above 10%");
```

A 0% tax is not a safe sell

`tax.sell_pct: 0` only means the sells that happened paid nothing. A token that blocks sells has no sells to measure. Always check `honeypot.is_honeypot` as well: see [How to detect a honeypot](https://docs.crius.sh/guides/detect-honeypot/).

## Frequently asked questions

**How to check token tax on Robinhood Chain?**

Send `GET https://api.crius.sh/v1/robinhood/token/{address}/security` (no key needed) and read `tax.buy_pct` and `tax.sell_pct`, in percent. Check `tax.source` and `tax.confidence` to see what the numbers are based on, and `tax_mode` to see whether the tax has changed over time.

**Does Crius read the tax from the contract or measure it?**

It measures it. For every trade Crius compares what the pool sent with what the wallet received, so the tax is what traders really paid, whether the token contract or a Uniswap v4 hook takes it. Where the token has a Uniswap v2 WETH pair, a simulated buy, transfer and sell at the latest block backs it up (`tax.simulated`). The contract is only checked for whether someone can still change the tax (`contract.can_change_tax`).

**The token contract has no tax and ownership is renounced. Why does the API show a 5% sell tax?**

Because the tax is taken somewhere else, usually in the pool's Uniswap v4 hook. Ruby (`0x8b5a7a19fbd3d8e8422643fc229b3ab08697c0be`) has a renounced contract with `can_change_tax: false`, yet sellers pay 5.28%: its pool's hook takes it. That is why Crius measures taxes from trades instead of reading the token's code.

**Can a token's tax change after I buy?**

Yes, if someone can still change it. `tax_mode: "dynamic"` means the measured rate has already changed more than once; `tax_history` lists each change with the block it took effect. `contract.can_change_tax` with an active owner, or a hook with a fee setter, means it can change again. Subscribe to the [WebSocket stream](https://docs.crius.sh/reference/stream/) or re-check before each trade.

**Is the ~3% buy fee on Pons tokens a tax?**

It is counted in `tax.buy_pct`, because buyers receive less than the pool sent. On graduated Pons tokens it is the launchpad's standard fee taken by its v4 hook (sockets pays 2.69%), and it stays under the 5% that costs points in the security score.

## Related

[Concept **Score confidence & limits** What the Crius security score can and can't see on Robinhood Chain, how to read its confidence fields, and why a low-risk result is not a guarantee a token is safe. Read](https://docs.crius.sh/concepts/security-score-limits/) [Concept **Token taxes** How Crius measures buy, sell and transfer taxes on Robinhood Chain tokens from real trades and from a simulated buy and sell, how the two are combined, and how tax changes are tracked. Read](https://docs.crius.sh/concepts/taxes/) [Guide **Token security score** Score any Robinhood Chain token from 0 to 100 with one API call. Honeypot, buy and sell taxes, owner powers, LP locks, v4 hook risk and insider launches, with real examples. Read](https://docs.crius.sh/guides/token-security-score/) [Guide **Detect a honeypot** Check whether a Robinhood Chain token can be sold before you buy it. One API call simulates a buy and a sell and checks real trades; a real honeypot example shows the evidence. Read](https://docs.crius.sh/guides/detect-honeypot/) [Guide **Check v4 hook risk** Find out what a Robinhood Chain token's Uniswap v4 hook can do and what happened in its pools (taxes, honeypots, rugs). Real examples, including critical hooks. Read](https://docs.crius.sh/guides/check-uniswap-v4-hook-risk/) [Guide **Get fees & creator rewards** See every fee paid around a Robinhood Chain token (gas, LP, hook, creator tax, curve, token tax), who receives it and what is still unclaimed. Real response. Read](https://docs.crius.sh/guides/get-token-fees-and-creator-rewards/) [API reference **Security checks API** Contract checks (ownership, mint, pause, blacklist, proxy, limits), realized and simulated buy/sell tax, honeypot verdict and, for v4 tokens, the pool hook's permissions and risk. Read](https://docs.crius.sh/reference/security/security-checks/)