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Memecoins like Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and Pepe dominated crypto markets in 2025 with massive gains and extreme volatility.
New launches like Little Pepe introduced advanced features, attracting fresh investor attention.
Political memecoins and regulatory crackdowns reshaped the risks and rules of memecoin investing.
Memecoins first appeared in 2013 when two software engineers, Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer, created Dogecoin. Inspired by the popular Shiba Inu "Doge" meme, Dogecoin started as a joke to make fun of the rapidly growing number of cryptocurrencies. However, it quickly developed a strong community and grew far beyond what anyone expected. By May 2021, Dogecoin reached a market value of over $85 billion, thanks in part to public support from celebrities like Elon Musk.
The success of Dogecoin opened the door for other meme-inspired cryptocurrencies. Shiba Inu arrived in 2020, and many more followed. Each of these coins drew from viral internet culture, social media trends, and influencer promotions. From 2021 to 2024, the memecoin world expanded rapidly, creating a unique market driven not by traditional financial principles but by community excitement and internet memes.
By the end of 2024, the total value of the memecoin market had grown to around $137 billion. This massive surge reflected not only public interest but also the power of social media in driving hype. However, the market faced setbacks at the start of 2025. Several high-profile memecoin projects collapsed, causing the total market value to fall to approximately $56.2 billion by February.
Two major incidents shook investor confidence. One involved Argentina’s LIBRA coin, and another involved a political coin called $TRUMP. Both saw rapid rises and equally rapid falls, leading to heavy financial losses for many investors. These events highlighted the risks of pump-and-dump schemes, where prices are inflated artificially and then quickly crash when early investors sell off their holdings.
Despite these setbacks, interest in memecoins remained strong. In May 2025, daily trading volumes bounced back to about $4.6 billion. Dogecoin continued to lead with a market cap of about $28 billion, followed by Shiba Inu at $7.5 billion and Pepe at $4.9 billion. Platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok played major roles in keeping the hype alive, attracting a younger crowd eager for quick and high-risk profits.
Pepe Coin, based on the famous "Pepe the Frog" meme, launched in April 2023 and quickly gained popularity. Within a short time, its market value approached $5 billion. Unlike Bitcoin, which has a limited supply, Pepe Coin has a huge supply of 420.69 trillion tokens. This large supply limits how high its price can go, but it hasn’t stopped it from gaining a large following.
A key reason for Pepe Coin’s success has been the support from large holders, often called "whales." Many of these whales keep their tokens off exchanges, which can be seen as a sign of long-term confidence. Analysts predict that Pepe Coin’s price might reach $0.000028 by the end of 2025. However, risks remain high. Over 60% of Pepe holders are still at a loss, meaning if prices fall suddenly, many may sell at once, causing sharp declines.
In June 2025, a new memecoin named Little Pepe (LILPEPE) entered the scene. Its presale sold out 500 million tokens in less than three days, raising $500,000 for $0.001 per token. The second phase of the presale began shortly after, with tokens priced at $0.0011. Some community members believe that LILPEPE could reach $1.50 by the end of the year, though such predictions are highly speculative.
Little Pepe stands out by offering more than just meme appeal. Built on a Layer-2 blockchain, it provides faster transactions, lower fees, and added features like governance tools that let holders participate in decision-making. Its unique "Pump Pad" tool also helps boost activity on the network. Some analysts believe that if LILPEPE reaches $0.25, early investors could see returns of over 22,000%.
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In 2025, institutional investors began taking memecoins more seriously. In January, Grayscale launched a special fund focused on Dogecoin, allowing accredited investors to gain exposure through a regulated product. At the same time, several U.S. asset managers applied to create exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tied to memecoins like $TRUMP and those promoted by public figures like Elon Musk. This shows that memecoins are starting to be seen as more than just internet jokes and are becoming part of mainstream investing.
Retail investors also continue to show strong interest. Many are using new investment tools that bundle multiple memecoins together or use artificial intelligence to track market trends. Stories of small investors turning tiny amounts of money into thousands of dollars fuel even more excitement. For example, one person reportedly turned $250 into $75,000 in just a couple of hours. However, losses are just as common, reminding everyone of the high risks involved.
2025 also saw the rise of politically linked memecoins, which created even more headlines. In January, former U.S. President Donald Trump launched his token, $TRUMP, on the Solana blockchain. The coin skyrocketed in value almost instantly, leading to ethical concerns about insider trading and conflicts of interest. Trump’s campaign offered private dinners and special events to large holders of the token, raising serious questions about whether political influence was being sold for personal gain. U.S. lawmakers launched investigations into these practices, and discussions about whether such tokens should be classified as securities or commodities intensified.
In Argentina, President Javier Milei’s LIBRA coin followed a similar path. The token’s price shot up from a fraction of a cent to over $5 in just 40 minutes before crashing. This sudden collapse cost investors around $250 million and led to widespread public outrage. The incident was even nicknamed "Cryptogate" and became the country’s first major cryptocurrency scandal.
These events have drawn the attention of regulators around the world. In the U.S., the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) are debating how to classify and regulate these new types of tokens. Lawmakers have even proposed new laws, such as the MEME Act, to prevent political figures from using cryptocurrencies for personal financial gain.
Also Read - Shiba Inu's Rollercoaster: Meme Coin Rides Market Volatility
When looking at the two most popular memecoins of 2025, Dogecoin and Pepe Coin show both similarities and differences:
Launch Dates: Dogecoin launched in 2013, while Pepe Coin launched in 2023.
Market Value: Dogecoin’s market value is around $28 billion; Pepe Coin’s is around $5 billion.
Daily Trading Volume: Dogecoin sees about $1.9 billion in daily trades; Pepe Coin sees about $3.88 billion.
Volatility: Both are highly volatile. Pepe Coin is riskier, as most holders are still at a loss.
Future Outlook: Dogecoin benefits from institutional support, while Pepe Coin relies heavily on social media buzz and whale investors.
Both coins continue to thrive on internet culture, but their future success may depend on whether they can evolve beyond hype and offer real-world use cases.
The memecoin market, valued at over $100 billion in 2025, shows no signs of slowing down. Viral internet culture, influencer promotions, and new technologies like Layer-2 solutions are keeping investor interest alive. However, the space remains risky. Flash crashes, scams, and sudden regulatory changes are constant threats.
While some believe memecoins could mature into a new asset class, others warn that many of these tokens resemble pyramid schemes or gambling rather than true investments. The coming years will likely separate serious projects with long-term value from short-term hype-driven coins.
