EVM Honeypot Detection

Overview

Most honeypot detectors only check a token at the current moment. TxShield’s honeypot endpoint runs time-travel analysis — simulating the token’s behavior across three future time windows to catch traps that activate after launch. A token can show 0% tax right now and 99% sell tax 24 hours later. That’s a time-delayed honeypot, and standard checks miss it entirely.

Endpoint

POST /api/honeypot/honeypot-checks

Request

Headers

Content-Type: application/json
Authorization: Bearer txs_your_api_key_here

Body

{
  "targetContractAddress": "0x3e391e5cb8ea766c93134faf486e6393158032c2",
  "chainId": 1
}

Parameters

Field	Type	Required	Description
`targetContractAddress`	`string`	✅	The token contract address to analyze
`chainId`	`number`	✅	Chain to run the check on. See supported IDs below

Supported Chain IDs

Chain	chainId
Ethereum	`1`
BNB Smart Chain	`56`
Base	`8453`
Arbitrum	`42161`

Response

{
  "success": true,
  "honeypotResponse": {
    "riskScore": 0,
    "buyTax": 0,
    "sellTax": 0,
    "isTimeHoneypot": false,
    "errorReason": "",
    "timeTravelResults": [
      {
        "label": "Immediate",
        "isBlackListDetected": false,
        "isMintable": false,
        "mintScore": 0,
        "mintReason": "",
        "isTradingControl": false,
        "buyTax": 0,
        "sellTax": 0,
        "riskScore": 0,
        "errorReason": ""
      },
      {
        "label": "24 Hours",
        "isBlackListDetected": false,
        "isMintable": false,
        "mintScore": 0,
        "mintReason": "",
        "isTradingControl": false,
        "buyTax": 0,
        "sellTax": 0,
        "riskScore": 0,
        "errorReason": ""
      },
      {
        "label": "7 Days",
        "isBlackListDetected": false,
        "isMintable": false,
        "mintScore": 0,
        "mintReason": "",
        "isTradingControl": false,
        "buyTax": 0,
        "sellTax": 0,
        "riskScore": 0,
        "errorReason": ""
      }
    ]
  }
}

Response Fields Explained

Top Level

Field	Type	Description
`success`	`boolean`	Whether the request succeeded
`honeypotResponse`	`object`	Container for all honeypot analysis data

`honeypotResponse`

Field	Type	Description
`riskScore`	`number`	Overall risk score from `0` to `100`. Above `70` is high risk
`buyTax`	`number`	Current buy tax percentage
`sellTax`	`number`	Current sell tax percentage
`isTimeHoneypot`	`boolean`	`true` if tax or risk increases across time windows — the key flag
`errorReason`	`string`	Populated when analysis partially fails or detects a specific trap
`timeTravelResults`	`array`	Analysis results across three simulated time windows

`timeTravelResults[]` — Each Time Window

Field	Type	Description
`label`	`string`	Time window: `"Immediate"`, `"24 Hours"`, or `"7 Days"`
`buyTax`	`number`	Buy tax at this simulated time
`sellTax`	`number`	Sell tax at this simulated time
`riskScore`	`number`	Risk score at this simulated time
`isBlackListDetected`	`boolean`	Whether blacklist functionality was detected at this window
`isMintable`	`boolean`	Whether the contract can mint new tokens at this window
`mintScore`	`number`	Confidence score for mint risk. Higher = more dangerous
`mintReason`	`string`	Explanation if mint risk is detected
`isTradingControl`	`boolean`	Whether the owner can pause or restrict trading at this window
`errorReason`	`string`	Specific error or finding for this time window

How to Read the Results

The Safe Token

{
  "riskScore": 0,
  "buyTax": 0,
  "sellTax": 0,
  "isTimeHoneypot": false,
  "timeTravelResults": [
    { "label": "Immediate", "buyTax": 0, "sellTax": 0, "riskScore": 0 },
    { "label": "24 Hours",  "buyTax": 0, "sellTax": 0, "riskScore": 0 },
    { "label": "7 Days",    "buyTax": 0, "sellTax": 0, "riskScore": 0 }
  ]
}

All three windows consistent. No flags. Safe to proceed.

The Time-Delayed Honeypot

{
  "riskScore": 92,
  "buyTax": 3,
  "sellTax": 15,
  "isTimeHoneypot": true,
  "errorReason": "Tax spikes dramatically after 24 hours",
  "timeTravelResults": [
    { "label": "Immediate", "buyTax": 3,  "sellTax": 15, "riskScore": 45  },
    { "label": "24 Hours",  "buyTax": 3,  "sellTax": 99, "riskScore": 100 },
    { "label": "7 Days",    "buyTax": 3,  "sellTax": 99, "riskScore": 100 }
  ]
}

Looks tradeable right now. By 24 hours, sell tax hits 99% — users are trapped. isTimeHoneypot: true is your block signal.

The Blacklist Trap

{
  "riskScore": 75,
  "buyTax": 5,
  "sellTax": 5,
  "isTimeHoneypot": false,
  "timeTravelResults": [
    { "label": "Immediate", "isBlackListDetected": false, "riskScore": 20 },
    { "label": "24 Hours",  "isBlackListDetected": true,  "riskScore": 75 },
    { "label": "7 Days",    "isBlackListDetected": true,  "riskScore": 75 }
  ]
}

Tax looks fine. But blacklist activates at 24 hours — owner can block any wallet from selling at any time.

Risk Score Reference

Score	Verdict	Recommended Action
`0 – 20`	Safe	Proceed normally
`21 – 50`	Low Risk	Proceed with caution
`51 – 70`	Medium Risk	Warn user, show flags
`71 – 90`	High Risk	Strong warning, require confirmation
`91 – 100`	Critical Risk	Block the transaction

Always check isTimeHoneypot alongside riskScore. A token can have a moderate score at the "Immediate" window but become Critical Risk by "7 Days". The time-travel delta is the most important signal.

Code Examples

curl -X POST https://api.txshield.xyz/api/honeypot/honeypot-checks \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer txs_your_api_key_here" \
  -d '{
    "targetContractAddress": "0x3e391e5cb8ea766c93134faf486e6393158032c2",
    "chainId": 1
  }'

const response = await fetch(
  'https://api.txshield.xyz/api/honeypot/honeypot-checks',
  {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
      'Authorization': 'Bearer txs_your_api_key_here'
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      targetContractAddress: "0x3e391e5cb8ea766c93134faf486e6393158032c2",
      chainId: 1
    })
  }
);

const data = await response.json();
const { honeypotResponse } = data;

// Recommended block logic
const shouldBlock =
  honeypotResponse.isTimeHoneypot ||
  honeypotResponse.riskScore > 70 ||
  honeypotResponse.timeTravelResults.some(
    (r) => r.isBlackListDetected || r.isTradingControl
  );

if (shouldBlock) {
  console.warn('HIGH RISK TOKEN — block or warn user');
}

import requests

res = requests.post(
    "https://api.txshield.xyz/api/honeypot/honeypot-checks",
    headers={
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
        "Authorization": "Bearer txs_your_api_key_here"
    },
    json={
        "targetContractAddress": "0x3e391e5cb8ea766c93134faf486e6393158032c2",
        "chainId": 1
    }
)

data = res.json()
hp = data["honeypotResponse"]

if hp["isTimeHoneypot"] or hp["riskScore"] > 70:
    print(f"BLOCK: riskScore={hp['riskScore']}, timeHoneypot={hp['isTimeHoneypot']}")

Error Responses

Status	Error	Meaning
`400`	`targetContractAddress is required`	Missing address in body
`400`	`chainId is required`	Missing chainId in body
`401`	`Missing Authorization header`	No API key provided
`403`	`Invalid API key`	Key not found or revoked
`429`	`Analysis rate limit hit`	Exceeded 10 req/min
`500`	`Honeypot check failed`	Internal error or RPC failure

EVM Simulation

Run a full simulation with bytecode analysis alongside honeypot detection.

Authentication

How to generate and use your API key.

Getting Started

API Reference

Under The Hood

For DEX Aggregators & Screeners

Help Center

Overview

Endpoint

Request

Headers

Body

Parameters

Supported Chain IDs

Response

Response Fields Explained

Top Level

`honeypotResponse`

`timeTravelResults[]` — Each Time Window

How to Read the Results

The Safe Token

The Time-Delayed Honeypot

The Blacklist Trap

Risk Score Reference

Code Examples

Error Responses

EVM Simulation

Authentication

​Overview

​Endpoint

​Request

​Headers

​Body

​Parameters

​Supported Chain IDs

​Response

​Response Fields Explained

​Top Level

​honeypotResponse

​timeTravelResults[] — Each Time Window

​How to Read the Results

​The Safe Token

​The Time-Delayed Honeypot

​The Blacklist Trap

​Risk Score Reference

​Code Examples

​Error Responses

EVM Simulation

Authentication

Overview

Endpoint

Request

Headers

Body

Parameters

Supported Chain IDs

Response

Response Fields Explained

Top Level

`honeypotResponse`

`timeTravelResults[]` — Each Time Window

How to Read the Results

The Safe Token

The Time-Delayed Honeypot

The Blacklist Trap

Risk Score Reference

Code Examples

Error Responses