The top 10 meme coins of 2025

However, as the year closes, it is evident that the most popular meme coins were the ones that stay the most tradable, the most repeated, and the easiest for social media momentum to convert into real turnover.

After the meme coin sector peaked at a $150.6B total market cap in late 2024, it cooled sharply through 2025 as headline-driven new coins faded. This list focuses on the top meme coins that stayed relevant in the cryptocurrencymarket, not the many meme coins that flashed once and disappeared.

How this 2025 list was chosen

There is no single universal scoreboard that covers every centralized exchange (CEX) and decentralized exchange (DEX) perfectly. So this ranking focuses on what consistently defines popular meme coins in practice:

• Sustained liquidity and visibility, not just a one-week pump

• Market cap leadership and category dominance, since market capitalization is a blunt but useful proxy for staying power

• Documented 2025 narrative relevance, including the meme coin launchpad boom, political meme coins, and the rise of cat-themed and frog-themed tokens

The 10 most popular meme coins of 2025

For every coin, you'll find a brief description of 2025 trading and search popularity, key catalysts driving attention, and a brief risk note.

The order roughly reflects overall 2025 prominence, not investment advice.

1. Dogecoin (DOGE)

DOGE stayed the category's headline name as 2025 closed, sitting at the top of the meme-coin leaderboard by market cap on major trackers.

By 2025, DOGE's edge was not new utility. It was familiarity. When viral trends rotate and many meme coins vanish, DOGE tends to stay listed, traded, and discussed because it is the category's default reference point. Even people who do not follow internet culture closely still recognize the name, which keeps it sticky during market-wide rotations.

Dogecoin also runs on its own blockchain and is commonly used for low-value tipping and microtransactions. Its over 8 million holder base and decade-long brand recognition give it staying power that newer coins simply can't match.

DOGE risks: Limited formal utility, heavy dependence on sentiment cycles, and sharp reversals when hype cools.

2. Shiba Inu (SHIB)

SHIB emerged initially as a "Dogecoin killer", but it refused to stay a single-meme token. It grew into a broader ecosystem with ShibaSwap, a DEX introduced in 2021, and Shibarium, an Ethereum Layer-2 (L2) that went live in August 2023. This year, trading volumes peaked momentarily to $4.2 billion in December, with 10.5 million monthly global searches keeping it near the top of meme coin rankings.

By 2025, SHIB's differentiator was its ecosystem narrative. It gives holders more to talk about than price alone, including Decentralized Finance (DeFi) tooling, ecosystem expansion, and ongoing community initiatives.

Another driver is token burning, where supply is permanently removed from circulation. The mechanics of burning are well understood in markets: reducing circulating supply is a scarcity story that communities can rally around.

SHIB risks: Extremely large token supply, complex ecosystem expectations that can outpace real adoption, and reliance on sustained development momentum.

3. Pepe (PEPE)

PEPE is proof that a meme-first token can become a serious trading instrument. It leaned into its meme-first identity with aggressive branding and community-driven marketing rather than heavy utility promises. Its burn mechanisms reducing supply by approximately 1% per transaction add a deflationary element that appeals to speculators.

This token remains one of the most searched meme coins in 2025, helped by frequent mentions on X, Reddit's r/wallstreetbets, and crypto news headlines during market upswings. Search interest regularly surges to 10 million monthly queries around significant price movements.

PEPE risks: Extreme volatility, rapid boom-and-bust cycles, and heavy dependence on speculative sentiment with no clear roadmap for utility development.

4. Bonk (BONK)

BONK held its position as the flagship Solana meme coin in 2025, staying highly visible in market cap rankings and meme coin watchlists.

Its 50% community allocation during launch fostered loyalty among early holders who received tokens through the airdrop. In December 2025, daily trading volumes averaged $60 to 150 million, with 2.1 million monthly searches tracking interest.

Search interest in BONK spikes during Solana rallies, Non-Fungible Token (NFT) partnerships, and integration into Solana-based decentralized applications (dApps) and games. Its popularity drivers include low unit price, dog-themed branding, strong community support, and the perception of being the "DOGE of Solana".

BONK risks: Dependence on Solana’s continued momentum, high volatility, and the potential for sentiment to shift toward newer Solana memecoins that quickly rise.

5. Floki (FLOKI)

FLOKI remained one of the most recognized multi-chain meme coins; the strong association with Elon Musk gave it immediate fame in the meme coin space.

The shift from pure meme status to a hybrid model helped Floki promote plans for the Valhalla NFT metaverse, education platforms like Floki University, and various DeFi products.

In 2025, aggressive global marketing campaigns including e-sports sponsorships and public-transport advertisements in major cities boosted interest in Floki. Trading volumes hovered around $30 million to $145 million daily as the year draws to a close.

FLOKI risks: Ambitious roadmap execution risk, competition from other cryptocurrencies with utility focus, and heavy reliance on ongoing marketing spend to maintain visibility.

6. dogwifhat (WIF)

WIF is a Solana meme coin built on one simple image: a Shiba Inu wearing a pink knitted hat. Somehow, that lead WIF to become one of the year's defining memes.

In 2024–2025, WIF became one of the most traded Solana digital assets. Peak volumes in 2025 hit $1.1 billion during a brief Solana rally, but currently sit near $126 million. Monthly searches reached 7 million during peak interest periods.

WIF serves as a bridge between early Solana-native traders and newer retail investors searching for highly volatile meme coins beyond Ethereum. Its minimalistic branding and strong cult community presence on X drive continued attention.

WIF risks: Extreme price swings, dependence on Solana network sentiment, and the absence of deep fundamental utility behind the meme

7. Brett (BRETT)

BRETT earned its slot as the breakout meme coin associated with Base.

In late 2023, Brett was mostly unknown. By December 2025, BRETT remains the leading meme coin on the Base network. However, its trading volumes have stabilized significantly compared to its 2024 highs; the 2025 peak reached $95.3 million during an October rally, with typical daily activity now averaging around $20 million.

Brett's success is tied directly to Base’s growth as a low-fee L2 backed by Coinbase, positioning it as the "poster child" meme coin for that network. Fast trading on Base, strong presence in on-chain social dashboards, and constant mention in Base-related community channels keep it relevant.

BRETT risks: Heavy concentration on a single emerging L2, speculative flows that could rotate quickly into newer Base meme coins, and limited established utility.

8. Official TRUMP (TRUMP)

TRUMP was the year's most headline-driven memecoin, surging from under $10 to as high as $74.59 and a market value that briefly hit $15 billion.

By 2025, TRUMP became a case study of attention liquidity: when narrative hits hard enough, volume follows. It also became a case study in why meme coin investing is highly speculative. Political narratives can create extreme demand quickly, but they can also unwind quickly when the headline cycle turns.

TRUMP risks: High concentration, regulatory and ethics scrutiny, and extreme volatility tied to news cycles.

9. Popcat (POPCAT)

POPCAT is a Solana meme coin inspired by the Popcat internet meme, featuring the cat with the "popping mouth" expression. POPCAT is described as part of a broader wave of socially-driven tokens that gained popularity through internet culture and community hype.

By 2025, POPCAT's role was clear: it helped anchor the cat-themed rotation. Cat tokens became a recognizable sub-category, and POPCAT stood out because the meme itself is extremely easy to remix and repost. That matters because shareability is often what turns social media into price momentum.

POPCAT risks: Limited formal utility, hype dependence, and liquidity risk if attention migrates to the next cat ticker.

10. cat in a dogs world (MEW)

MEW is a Solana-based memecoin positioned explicitly as a counterweight to dog-dominated meme culture. It is named alongside POPCAT as part of a cat-themed community brand and its March 2024 launch helped kickstart what many called "cat season".

By 2025, MEW benefited from narrative contrast. "Cats vs dogs" is instantly understandable internet culture, and the token's identity was built around that rivalry. That clarity is a real advantage in a market where many meme coins struggle to explain what they are in one sentence.

MEW risks: Speculative-first demand, high volatility, and the usual meme coin reality that popularity can drop faster than it rises.

How to spot the next trending meme coin without blindly betting

If you want to buy meme coins early without donating money to the first wallet that sells, you need a simple filter. The goal is not to predict every pump, but to avoid the traps that most meme coins set.

1. Separate "viral" from "tradable"

A token can trend on social media while still being untradeable at size.

• • Check liquidity first. Thin liquidity means heavy slippage, especially on DEXs.

  • Compare hype to volume. If search interest is rising but turnover is tiny, that is not momentum; that is bait.

2. Verify the basics fast, then go deeper

This is the part of Do Your Own Research (DYOR) that actually saves accounts and wallets.

• • Look for market cap and market capitalization relative to total supply

  • Verify contract addresses from official social links, not random replies

  • Check holder concentration and whether liquidity looks locked or unstable

  • Check whether claims of real world utility match anything verifiable

  • Watch for copycat tokens that reuse the same meme name, ticker, or logo

If something feels off, trust that instinct. There will always be many meme coins. You only need a few good decisions.

3. Look for a second-wave catalyst

Most meme cryptocurrencies get one spike; the survivors get a second wave.

Examples of catalysts that can extend popularity:

• • A credible listing that expands access to CEXs

  • A narrative that keeps spreading through internet memes, not just one community

  • A simple form of real world utility, or at least a clear roadmap that matches what the project claims

4. Use a risk-first position plan

Treat new coins as highly speculative by default. Size your bet, so a total loss does not break your risk tolerance.

Risks and considerations when chasing meme coin popularity

High popularity does not equate safety or long-term value. Meme coins remain a highly speculative corner of the market, and understanding the risks is essential before investing any money.

1. Volatility risks

Prices can move violently in hours. People who enter late in a pump often end up holding losses when momentum reverses. The same social media momentum that drives prices up can evaporate overnight.

2. Scam risks

Rug pulls and fake token copies remain common in memecoins.

Research on token fraud has found extremely high rates of suspicious or fraudulent new tokens in some venues, which is why “new" meme coins should always be treated as hostile until proven otherwise.

3. Liquidity risks

Some hyped meme coins have thin liquidity despite high search interest. Large buy or sell orders can cause heavy slippage, and exiting quickly may be impossible during market stress when everyone rushes for the exit simultaneously.

4. Psychological risks

Fear of missing out (FOMO) drives poor decision-making. Communities can create echo chambers that punish caution and glorify overexposure. That is how people concentrate risk beyond what they can afford.

In summary,

Before investing in any meme coin, please DYOR thoroughly, verify contract addresses, and never invest more than you can afford to lose completely.

Outlook for meme coins in 2026

The meme coin landscape in 2025 offers both opportunity and significant risk.

From established giants like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu to sudden-popularity breakouts like BRETT, TRUMP, POPCAT, and MEW, these tokens capture imaginations precisely because of their unpredictable nature.

Meme coins will likely keep evolving, but 2026 should be less forgiving to low-quality launches. The next wave of popular meme coins will probably be defined by two things:

• Liquidity that holds up when viral trends cool, and

• Structure, whether it is distribution, community durability, or simple utility, to avoid being a one-week story.

In other words, the meme will still matter. But the market will ask harder questions about what sits underneath the hype.