Key Takeaways
- Meme coins are cryptocurrencies inspired by internet jokes and pop culture. Unlike traditional coins, they focus on humor and community engagement rather than real-world utility.
- The term “meme” originated from Richard Dawkins, describing the spread of ideas through a population. In crypto, memes have evolved into digital assets, reflecting internet culture.
- Investing in meme coins is risky due to their lack of real-world utility and dependence on trends.
It is rare to see a meme coin project rise above its status. Meme coins can easily grab the general public’s attention every crypto cycle. But to lead the trends, set the tone, and raise the bar is uncommon for these tokens, which we will discuss in this article.
What Are Meme Coins?
Meme coins are a lighthearted take on crypto space inspired by internet jokes and pop culture references. They function like other cryptocurrencies, using blockchain technology to facilitate secure online transactions. However, unlike established coins with serious applications and real-world utility, meme coins are known for their humor and community focus.
Meme Coins As An Instrument Of Culture
The word “meme” was coined even before the internet became part of our daily lives. It was coined by a biologist named Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book called “The Selfish Gene.”
“Meme” was initially used to describe how ideas and cultural traits spread through a population, similar to how genes, like DNA, are passed down. Fast-forward a few decades, and memes have evolved into funny images that we share online with each other. The crypto world took it one step further and became a new digital asset.
Is Investing In Meme Coins Safe?
Investing in meme coins is considered risky. Unlike established cryptocurrencies with specific use cases, meme coins lack real-world utility, and their value heavily depends on trends in the space. However, some meme coin projects have already reached their local highs this year. If you are considering investing in these cryptocurrencies, allocate only a small percentage you can afford to lose.
Top 10 Meme Coins By Market Cap
Dogecoin (DOGE)
Elon Musk is probably the best unofficial shiller of Dogecoin. Whenever he tweets or mentions DOGE, the token’s price tends to go up.
It is worth noting that in 2019, Elon Musk once posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Dogecoin is his favorite cryptocurrency. Additionally, he recently commented that DOGE could be used to buy Teslas “at some point.”
What differentiates it from other meme projects is that Dogecoin is a blockchain itself, as most others are just tokens on top of a Layer-1 chain.
Shiba Inu (SHIB)
Shiba Inu (SHIB) was released in late 2020 and became popular in 2021. Marketed as the “Dogecoin Killer,” SHIB created many millionaires some time ago when it pumped from a low of 10 zeros, worth fractions of a penny, to many more times that in just eight months, a 150,000X increase.
SHIB is differentiated from ordinary meme coins because it has a Layer-2 scaling solution called Shibarium, giving the ecosystem utility. Shibarium burns tokens over time, which, in theory, could make it deflationary. It is also envisioned to be the building block for other developments in the Shiba Inu ecosystem.
Related: What Is Shiba Inu (SHIB)?
Pepe (PEPE)
Pepe (PEPE) was launched in April 2023, and in just under a year, it has reached a market cap of $3B. The meme coin is based on the popular internet meme Pepe the Frog, created by Matt Furie.
The developers of PEPE added some interesting features to this token. First, it has a deflationary mechanism, where tokens are burned for each transaction. Second, it has a redistribution system wherein token holders are incentivized by receiving a portion of each transaction.
Related: What You Need To Know About Pepe Coin ($PEPE)?
OFFICIAL TRUMP (TRUMP)
The OFFICIAL TRUMP token (TRUMP) is a meme coin launched on January 17th, 2025, on the Solana blockchain, announced by President-elect Donald Trump via his Truth Social platform.
With a total supply of 1 billion tokens, 200 million were released initially through an initial coin offering (ICO). At the same time, Trump-affiliated entities hold 800 million, CIC Digital LLC, and Fight Fight Fight LLC, to be gradually released over three years.
The token, featuring a logo of Trump raising his fist after a July 2024 assassination attempt, is marketed as an expression of support for Trump’s ideals, explicitly disclaiming any political or investment purpose.
Bonk (BONK)
Bonk (BONK) is a dog-themed meme coin launched on the Solana blockchain on December 25th, 2022, designed to foster community engagement and bring liquidity to Solana’s decentralized exchanges (DEXs).
Often called “the dog coin of the people,” it gained traction through a massive airdrop, distributing 50% of its 100 trillion total supply to Solana NFT collectors, developers, artists, and other community members. This strategy, coupled with its playful branding inspired by coins like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, led to a meteoric rise, with a 4,000% price surge in early January 2023.
Fartcoin (FART)
Fartcoin (FARTCOIN) is a memecoin built on the Solana blockchain, launched in October 2024. It is designed to blend humor, internet culture, and community engagement, distinguishing itself from traditional cryptocurrencies through its playful approach.
Its concept originated from an AI chatbot called Truth Terminal, known for controversial posts on X, which proposed a token centered around fart-themed memes. Notably, an anonymous developer launched Fartcoin on pump.fun, a Solana-based meme coin launchpad that allows anyone to create and trade tokens.
Since its launch, Fartcoin has gained significant traction, driven by social media buzz and its absurd, universally humorous branding.
dogwifhat (WIF)
dogwifhat (WIF) is the youngest token in the top meme coin list. It was launched in November 2023 and now has a market cap of about $2.78B. According to CoinGecko’s data, WIF jumped from its all-time low of $0.001555 to a high of $3.47. The simple difference that made this meme coin much more accessible to retail buyers is that you can buy WIF for a penny in on-chain fees on Solana versus $50 transaction fees when buying meme coins on Ethereum.
Related: What Is dogwifhat (WIF)? All You Need To Know
Pudgy Penguins (PENGU)
PENGU is a memecoin launched by Pudgy Penguins, a prominent NFT project featuring 8,888 unique penguin-themed digital collectibles, initially minted on Ethereum in July 2021.
Introduced on the Solana blockchain in December 2024, PENGU aims to expand the Pudgy Penguins community by making it accessible to a broader audience, including those outside the NFT space, through a total supply of 88,888,888,888 tokens.
The token’s launch was marked by a significant airdrop, distributing over 50% of the supply, with 25.9% allocated to Pudgy Penguins NFT holders, 24.12% to external communities, and smaller portions for liquidity, team, and public good initiatives. PENGU surged 800% on launch day, reaching a $2.3 billion market cap, driven by the project’s strong brand, community enthusiasm, and listings on major exchanges.
FLOKI (FLOKI)
FLOKI (FLOKI) was created by the members of the Shiba Inu community and was inspired by Elon Musk’s dog, Floki. Dubbed “The People’s Cryptocurrency,” the project stated that it has over 470,000 strong community members on a mission to make this meme coin the most popular crypto in the world (good luck, guys).
Like SHIB’s Shibarium, the project also has utility. For example, it has Valhalla, an NFT gaming metaverse, and FlokiFi, a suite of different decentralized finance products for the FLOKI ecosystem.
Brett (BRETT)
Brett (BRETT) is a prominent memecoin launched in February 2024 on the Base blockchain, an Ethereum Layer-2 network, inspired by the character Brett from Matt Furie’s Boy’s Club comic series, known as “Pepe’s best friend.”
With a fixed total supply of 10 billion tokens, its tokenomics allocate 85% to liquidity pools, 10% to the treasury, and 5% to centralized exchange wallets, featuring a renounced contract and 365-day locked liquidity for transparency and security.
Notably, BRETT aims for long-term growth through partnerships and Base ecosystem expansion, yet remains highly speculative, driven by social media trends and community sentiment.
Final Thoughts
Meme coins are a way to invest in internet culture but in a speculative way. Truth be told, cryptocurrency is still largely misunderstood by most newbies. However, meme coins are relatable, and most people buy them for multiple reasons, ramping up demand and increasing their value, bringing more people into the space.
