Memecoin Boom Turns Bust

In 2025, the memecoin market witnessed an unprecedented surge in activity, with more than 13 million new tokens launched worldwide. 
 
The frenzy even drew high-profile attention, including a headline-grabbing entry from Donald Trump, who introduced his own TRUMP coin. 
 
At the start of the year, optimism was high, and many believed memecoins would ride the broader crypto bull cycle.
 
That optimism, however, faded quickly. 
 
While the overall cryptocurrency market climbed to a peak valuation of around $3.02 trillion, memecoins moved in the opposite direction. 

 
 
Instead of benefiting from the rally, the segment saw sustained erosion in value throughout the year. 
 
By the end of 2025, global memecoin market capitalisation had collapsed by nearly 61%, falling from about $100 billion in late 2024 and early 2025 to just $36.5 billion by January 2026.
 
A handful of established tokens such as Pippin, Fartcoin, and Alchemist AI continue to retain notable valuations, but they are exceptions. 
 
The overwhelming majority of newly launched memecoins—particularly those issued on Solana—remain thinly capitalised and highly illiquid.
 
In contrast, long-standing projects like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu still dominate the sector, highlighting a growing divide between legacy memecoins and the flood of speculative and short-lived launches that defined 2025.