After the highs and lows of 2023 and a dramatic resurgence in 2024 – when average gains peaked at over 1,300% and sector-wide returns surpassed 200% – meme coins faced a punishing setback in 2025. Prices and valuations slumped amid broader market volatility and waning retail interest, leaving most of the biggest tokens with heavy double-digit losses.
According to data from BestWallet.com, a staggering 90% of the top meme coins by market capitalisation crashed during the first nine months of 2025, each shedding between 30% and 70% of their value.
Official Trump, MogCoin and Brett Were the Worst Hit, Losing Close to 70% in Value
Tighter global regulations and fading retail enthusiasm – as many investors pulled out amid mounting market turbulence – turned 2025 into a harsh year for major meme coins. Established names such as Dogecoin, Shiba Inu and Pepe, all heavily reliant on community hype with limited real-world adoption, were among the first to stumble as investor sentiment shifted to risk-off.
The shakeout, however, has paved the way for a new generation of meme projects, such as Bitcoin Hyper, Maxi Doge and Pepenode. These newer entrants are positioning themselves as more than just hype by focusing on community-driven models, presale interest and innovative tokenomics.
While these new-generation tokens gain momentum in a changing market, older favourites have struggled to keep pace. The result has been a significant loss of value for many of the sector’s most recognisable names.
CoinMarketCap data shows that 18 of the 20 largest meme coins by market cap recorded double-digit losses in the first nine months of the year, each falling between 30% and 70%. Statistics reveal that Official Trump was the worst performer, plunging by an astonishing 74% since January.
The most prominent of the Trump-inspired tokens saw its popularity surge early in 2025 following President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Launched to resonate with his supporters, the token initially gained traction through intense social media buzz, turning some early investors into crypto millionaires almost overnight. However, the hype was short-lived, with the token shedding $4.2 billion in market capitalisation since January.
MogCoin and Brett also suffered severe losses, with declines of 67% and 66% respectively over the nine months. Cat in a Dogs World and Dogwifhat were close behind, each losing 61% of their value since January. Three other meme coins slumped by around 50%, another three by about 40%, while Fartcoin and Snek each dropped roughly 30%. Of all the underperformers, Pudgy Penguins fared the best, declining by just 18% over the same period.
BUILDon Emerges as the Sole Standout Performer
In stark contrast to the widespread losses brought on by increased volatility and tougher global regulations, BUILDon stood out as the only major meme coin to post substantial gains.
Launched in mid-April, the token surged just a month later after World Liberty Financial announced it had acquired more than 636,000 tokens, sparking a single-day rally of over 500%. As the “mascot” of BNB Chain, BUILDon has combined meme-coin appeal with practical use cases such as DeFi automation and stablecoin integrations. Since January, its price has soared by an extraordinary 6,588%, climbing to $0.29 this week.
MemeCore was the only other meme coin in the top 20 to post gains, rising by 313% to reach $2.3 during the nine-month period.
