Despite being a high-risk corner of the crypto market and their relatively small share of the total crypto market capitalization, memecoins consistently punch above their weight in trading volume, indicating sustained interest from retail crypto traders.
Often characterized by their humour-driven branding and speculative appeal, memecoins are set to expand their influence and growth in 2025, according to a report by leading data analytics and research company Messari.
Messari’s The Crypto Theses 2025 suggests that memecoins’ growth would be fueled by advancements in blockchain infrastructure, user-friendly applications, and shifting macroeconomic trends, positioning them as a unique speculative outlet.
This article provides a closer look at the factors predicted to shape the future of memecoins and their role in the evolving crypto space.
The rise of memecoins in 2024
In 2024, memecoins captured significant attention, accounting for nearly 11% of total non-stablecoin trading volume by the year’s end. The surge was driven by political memes, AI-driven concepts such as Truth Terminal’s GOAT and other innovative meta.
Blockchain networks like Solana and Base played significant roles, offering the necessary scalability and low transaction costs for memecoin trading to thrive.
According to Messari, memecoins further became a speculative outlet in 2024 as traders increasingly sought high-risk, high-reward opportunities, especially in markets flush with excess capital and limited quality investments.
In addition, user-friendly platforms like Pump.fun and Moonshot simplified the buying process for memecoins, drawing in retail investors with easy interfaces and payment options like ApplePay and PayPal.
Despite the notable growth of memecoins in early 2024, their combined market cap dropped by over $40 billion in December 2024 alone. Nonetheless, Messari asserts that “memecoins are poised for continued growth” in 2025.
Read also: Memecoins dominate crypto trading on decentralized exchanges.
Key drivers for 2025 memecoins growth
According to Messari, several factors will continue to facilitate memecoin growth in 2025:
1. Scalable blockchain infrastructure
The growth of memecoins is intrinsically tied to scalable blockchain networks. Messari submits that platforms like Solana, Base, Injective, Sei, and TON will remain at the forefront given that they offer high transaction throughput, ample blockspace and low fees. These characteristics create a fertile ground for memecoins to thrive without the challenges of escalating fees that often accompany increased activity on other chains like Ethereum.
For instance, Solana has established itself as the dominant chain for memecoin trading, thanks to its robust infrastructure tailored for fast-paced speculative markets. This dominance is bolstered by consumer apps like Pump.fun, which streamline trading experiences for retail participants.
“In 2025, we anticipate Solana will continue to command the lion’s share of memecoin trading activity,” Messari wrote. However, the firm noted that as blockchain infrastructure becomes more abstracted, users may prioritize app functionality over the underlying network. Thus, Solana’s continued leadership in memecoins will depend on maintaining competitive, user-friendly apps like Pump.fun.
“As the ecosystems on high-throughput chains mature, new use cases and investment opportunities will emerge, but the speculative and social appeal of memecoins will ensure their continued relevance, especially in volatile markets,” part of the report read.
Related: Solana Adoption on the Rise: Opportunities and Limitations
2. User-friendly platforms
Messari projects that memecoins will attract an increasing number of retail traders through innovative applications like Moonshot, Pump.fun and Telegram bots in 2025. According to the firm, these platforms simplify the trading process of memecoins, making it more accessible for users unfamiliar with complex blockchain mechanics. “Moonshot, for example, enables users to buy memecoins with ApplePay, PayPal, or USDC on Solana, bypassing traditional crypto rails,” Messari highlighted.
Also, the report noted that memecoins are benefiting from the broader trend of integrating Web2 simplicity into Web3 ecosystems. By creating environments that mimic the intuitive experiences of traditional applications, memecoin-focused platforms are positioned to onboard a new wave of crypto enthusiasts, expanding their user base and market influence. “As blockchain networks improve and UX becomes more seamless, memecoin trading will become more accessible, encouraging increased participation,” the report added.
3. Speculative and social appeal
Another key factor expected to increase memecoins momentum in 2025 is their speculative and social appeal. According to Messari, memecoins serve a unique role in the broader macroeconomic context as an outlet for speculative behaviour akin to gambling.
In other words, they offer high-risk, high-reward opportunities paired with social incentives. This combination appeals to a diverse range of market participants—from those seeking entertainment to profit-driven traders.
Given this, Messari believes memecoins could draw attention away from traditional speculative markets, such as sports betting, potentially driving more users to the crypto industry in 2025.
Read also: 5 factors to watch in the new year—Fidelity’s 2025 Crypto Market Outlook
Final thoughts
Whereas memecoins have been projected to gain more momentum in 2025, these cryptoasset class carry significant risks, including extreme volatility, lack of intrinsic value, and susceptibility to market manipulation. Meaning, investors may face sudden losses as prices can plummet without warning. Additionally, the speculative nature of memecoins often attracts scams and rug pulls, leading to financial harm. While they offer high-reward opportunities, market participants are advised to exercise caution, conduct thorough research, and only invest funds they can afford to lose.
Read more: Understanding the Pros and Cons of Memecoins as an Investor
Ndianabasi Tom A Petroleum Engineering degree holder, Ndianabasi’s interest since 2018 has been studying the ever-growing field of blockchain and cryptocurrency, keenly evaluating the innovation, exploration, and expansion of this field locally and globally. The founder of Nitadel a media platform, Ndianabasi has been a Writer at Crypto Asset Buyer (CAB) since 2021. When he is not drilling resources in the blockchain and cryptocurrency field, Ndianabasi is singing, reading, watching crime movies, or playing football.
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