Memecoins dominated 31% of crypto narratives in 2024, in keeping with a report by CoinGecko.
This represents practically 4x progress in comparison with final yr when the theme appeased simply 8.32% of buyers out of 25 narratives.
The rise of memecoins, initially pushed by dog-themed cash, expanded into new territories in 2024, together with animal- and personality-themed tokens.
In line with the report, the pattern highlights an investor urge for food for speculative alternatives prioritizing cultural virality over conventional fundamentals.
The memecoin launchpool Pump.fun can be utilized as a proxy for the success of these tokens. Practically 5 million new memecoins had been deployed on Solana alone this yr, with the platform capturing over $335 million in charges, according to a Dune Analytics dashboard by person evelyn223.
The first memecoin narrative claimed the highest spot amongst crypto narratives, accounting for 14.36% of investor mindshare.
Additionally, 4 memecoin traits ranked in the highest 20: Solana memecoins (7.65%), Base memecoins (2.13%), AI memecoins (1.49%), and cat-themed memecoins (1.19%).
In line with data from Artemis, memecoins represented the third most worthwhile narrative in 2024, producing a median yearly return of 201%. The positive factors had been additionally above the 128% common return from the market.
Besting AI tokens
This yr’s progress in synthetic intelligence (AI) applied sciences raised buyers’ expectations in regards to the intersection between AI and blockchain. Because of this, this grew to become a scorching pattern inside the crypto group, capturing 15.67% of the mindshare throughout six narratives.
The core AI ecosystem was accountable for most of the popularity, registering the second-largest general popularity with a 12.58% share, up 1.26% from final yr.
AI-related traits, reminiscent of AI brokers (1.17%) and AI meme cash (1.49%), additional contributed to the know-how’s rising affect in crypto.
However, the memecoins sector’s meteoric rise in popularity eclipsed the AI narrative this yr by closely outperforming. Moreover, AI tokens had a damaging 11.6% efficiency this yr, primarily as a consequence of Worldcoin’s WLD 39% drawdown.
Rising narratives
The true-world belongings (RWA) narrative gained traction, climbing to 3rd place with an 8.64% share of investor curiosity, up 2.16% from 2023.
Equally, Decentralized Bodily Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) moved from thirteenth to eighth place, with its share rising by 1.56%.
In distinction, the blockchain gaming (GameFi) narrative declined, shrinking from a ten.49% share in 2023 to only 3.72% in 2024, reflecting waning curiosity in gaming-related blockchain functions.
The RWA sector posted a median yearly achieve of 1,755%, primarily as a result of 6,520% rise in Mantra’s OM token. Because of this, the typical returns for this sector’s tokens received inflated.
In the meantime, DePIN tokens jumped 30% in the identical interval, whereas gaming tokens had a median damaging efficiency of 23.4%.
Solana and Base shine
Blockchain ecosystems additionally captured important consideration in 2024, with Solana and Base-related narratives gaining prominence, with memecoins enjoying a key function.
Solana narratives mixed for a 14.30% share, pushed by Solana memecoins (7.65%) and broader ecosystem curiosity (5.78%).
Base narratives totaled 4.87%, bolstered by the Base ecosystem and Base memecoins.
