6 Meme Coins That Broke the Internet — but Did They Hold Their Value?

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Meme coins are cryptocurrencies that have gone from being internet jokes to creating serious financial buzz, but their explosive popularity is often followed by equally dramatic crashes.

BinaryOptions.com analyzed 50 meme coins and used search volume data to identify the most viral. The results show how these coins’ popularity is tied to short-lived trends, and while they can definitely yield quick profits, their volatility can make them risky investments.

So what are the most viral meme coins, and did they hold their value?

Dogecoin

• Market cap: $24.9 billion
• Price: $0.1681
• Average monthly search volume: 1,602,300

Dogecoin, the original and probably most memorable (thanks to its controversial relationship with Elon Musk) meme coin, was created in 2013 as a parody of bitcoin. While it’s still the leader in the meme coin market, it still relies on hype, making it volatile.

Shiba Inu

• Market cap: $7.2 billion
• Price: $0.00001229
• Average monthly search volume: 526,050

Built on the Ethereum blockchain, shiba inu was inspired by dogecoin and even become known as the “dogecoin killer,” though it hasn’t managed to live up to that name. It has a loyal community thanks in part to having its own ecosystem with nonfungible tokens and decentralized exchanges. 

Pepe

• Market cap: $2.8 billion
• Price: $0.000006669
• Average monthly search volume: 63,900

Pepe, inspired by the meme of Pepe the Frog, has maintained a strong internet presence, but its value fluctuates based on the same factors that drive other meme coins — viral moments and the whims of social media.

Bonk

• Market cap: $811.4 million
• Price: $0.00001044
• Average monthly search volume: 55,450

Bonk is a solana-based meme coin introduced in December 2022. Its strong grassroots following and decentralized ownership seem to have helped strengthen its value, helping it rebound from the periods of volatility that are expected with meme coins.

Dogwifhat

• Market cap: $454.9 million
• Price: $0.4554
• Average monthly search volume: 13,970

Dogwifhat is another dog-based offering in the world of meme coins. After reaching an all-time high in March 2024, its value started to decline in November 2024, and it’s continuing on a downward trajectory.

Brett

• Market cap: $288.5 million
• Price: $0.02916
• Average monthly search volume: 10,700

Brett is based on a character from Matt Furie’s “Boy’s Club” comics. Unlike many tokens, it’s driven by community engagement, operating on a renounced contract, meaning no more tokens can ever be created.

While some investors have struck lucky with meme coins, is it just that — luck? They exist in a different league compared with traditional cryptocurrencies, and they’re generally seen as more of a gamble than an investment. For perspective, bitcoin — the leading crypto — costs about $82,755 per coin and holds a staggering $1.64 trillion market cap.

Editor’s note: Market cap figures and prices were sourced from CoinMarketCap and are accurate as of March 12, 2025. Average monthl search volume figures were sourced from BinaryOptions.com.

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