Key Takeaways

• Memecoins are cryptocurrencies inspired by internet memes and pop culture, deriving value primarily from community engagement rather than technical utility.
• Dogecoin pioneered the memecoin movement in 2013, reaching a $62 billion market cap and gaining mainstream attention through Elon Musk’s endorsements.
• Famous memecoins include SHIB (DOGE’s competitor), PEPE ($8.2B valuation), TRUMP ($27B peak market cap), and BONK (Solana-based with $3B market cap).
• High volatility is standard – exemplified by $CAR losing 95% of its value in one day and MELANIA dropping 90% in just weeks.
• Creating a memecoin is relatively simple using automated tools on platforms like Solana or Ethereum, with no coding knowledge required.
• Regulatory approaches vary globally – the SEC doesn’t classify typical memecoins as securities, while Thailand has banned them outright.
• Investment considerations include potential for high returns balanced against significant risks of scams, low utility, and extreme price fluctuations.
• MEXC exchange offers multiple ways to purchase memecoins, including credit card, P2P trading, and bank transfers, with various order types for different trading strategies.

Table of Contents

• What is a Memecoin? Core Definition and Characteristics
• History and Evolution of Memecoins
• How Do Memecoins Work
• Top Popular Memecoins in the Market
• Pros and Cons of Investing in Memecoins
• How to Create a Memecoin
• How to Buy Memecoins
• Future of Memecoins
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
• Conclusion

What is a Memecoin? Core Definition and Characteristics

1. Cultural foundation: Memecoins are typically based on internet memes or popular cultural trends, embodying the fun and light-heartedness of internet culture and bringing these aspects into the cryptocurrency world.
2. Community-driven: Strong, often humorous communities form around memecoins, with investors and fans coming together to celebrate the coins and the associated memes, fostering a sense of belonging and shared identity.
3. Limited utility: Most memecoins usually have limited or no use cases other than being tradable and convertible. Unlike utility tokens, they typically don’t provide access to specific services within their blockchain.
4. High volatility: Given their speculative nature, memecoins tend to experience significant market price volatility, often accompanied by statements regarding their risks and lack of utility.
5. Social media presence: The value of memecoins is often influenced by prominent personalities or social media trends, leading to very volatile price developments.

History and Evolution of Memecoins

1. Dogecoin emergence (2013): Dogecoin, created in 2013, has been prominently endorsed by Elon Musk since 2021. It has reached a market cap of $62 billion and become one of the top 10 largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
2. Elon Musk’s influence (2021-2022): Memecoins increased in popularity in 2021 and 2022 when Elon Musk endorsed Dogecoin, one of the first memecoins. His tweets included statements like "Dogecoin is the people’s crypto," "No highs, no lows, only Doge," and "One Word: Doge," which were associated with an increase in trading volume and value of the coin.
3. Regulatory scrutiny (2021): In early 2021, Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission banned memecoins as part of a crackdown on digital goods with "no clear objective or substance." Around the same time, advertisements promoting the memecoin Floki Inu in London led to investigations by the United Kingdom Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which considered it an unregulated financial product.
4. Trump-related resurgence (2024-2025): Memecoins saw a resurgence following Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 United States presidential election. One example was Fartcoin, whose valuation briefly surpassed $2 billion. Trump himself launched the memecoin TRUMP three days before his second inauguration.
5. Political adoption (2025): In February 2025, the President of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadéra, announced a national memecoin, CAR, on his official X account. Despite continued promotion from the verified account, the value of CAR dropped by 95% one day after trading began.

How Do Memecoins Work?

1. Blockchain foundation: Memecoins generally work like other cryptocurrencies: An individual or group conceives of and creates a token, usually on an existing blockchain, and begins marketing it. For example, Solana and Base were the most popular blockchains used by memecoin creators in 2024.
2. Token creation: Most memecoins are usually created without a use case other than being tradable and convertible. They have become popular with cryptocurrency traders on exchanges—daily trading volumes consistently exceeded $6 billion in early 2025.
3. Community engagement: Their uniqueness lies in how they mobilize fans for specific topics or fun content, often leading to viral marketing campaigns that increase their popularity. Many memecoins also use smart contracts on platforms like Ethereum to enable additional functions such as staking or access to special community rewards.
4. Market dynamics: Despite their often humorous origin, trading memecoins requires an understanding of crypto market trends and risk management, as they are known for their high volatility.

Top Popular Memecoins in the Market

1. Dogecoin (DOGE): Dogecoin was initially introduced as a joke in 2013 but quickly developed into a prominent cryptocurrency, thanks in part to its dedicated community and support from well-known personalities like Elon Musk. Originally conceived as a parody of the Bitcoin hype, Dogecoin has built a loyal following and is used for tips on the internet and charitable purposes. In November 2024, Trump announced that Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy would lead a new Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE for short, further boosting its profile.
2. Shiba Inu (SHIB): Shiba Inu was introduced in August 2020, modeled after Dogecoin, and has positioned itself as the "Dogecoin killer." Inspired by the eponymous Japanese dog, which is also Dogecoin’s mascot, SHIB uses the Ethereum blockchain, allowing for additional functionalities beyond ERC-20 tokens, including smart contracts and decentralized financial services (DeFi).
3. Pepe (PEPE): The memecoin Pepe was relaunched in 2023 and refers to the internet meme "Pepe the Frog." The project was started to entertain the crypto community and promote creativity within the ecosystem. Pepe quickly became a serious digital asset traded on various platforms. It has reached a circulating value of $8.2 billion.
4. TRUMP: Publicly announced on Trump’s X and Truth Social accounts three days before his second presidential inauguration. A day later, the market cap reached $27 billion, with Trump companies’ holdings at $20 billion. While some very early traders in the memecoin had large gains, as of early February 2025, other investors cumulatively lost $2 billion after the token’s price crashed.
5. MELANIA: On January 19, 2025, Trump’s wife Melania launched her own memecoin, MELANIA. By February 6, the token had lost 90% of its value.
6. Bonk (BONK): BONK is a relatively new memecoin from 2022 that has garnered attention, particularly in the community around the Solana blockchain. This integration into the dApp system allows Bonk to be embedded in platforms that enable the use of NFTs, giving this memecoin real utility. It has reached a market cap of $3 billion.
7. HAWK: Released by Hailey Welch in December 2024, an American woman who became viral online for the "hawk tuah" meme, and reached a peak of $490 million before plummeting to $25 million. She was accused of promoting a pump-and-dump, and engaging in a rug pull scheme and insider trading.
8. CAR: Announced on February 10, 2025 by the Central African Republic’s president, Faustin-Archange Touadera, as the country’s official memecoin and an "experiment" in national development.
9. LIBRA: Promoted by the president of Argentina Javier Milei on February 14, 2025, LIBRA is considered by specialists a memecoin. Milei stated in a tweet that its purpose was to "incentivize the growth of the Argentine economy, funding small companies and Argentine ventures."
10. CHILLGUY: Based on the viral "Just a chill guy" internet meme, this token gained popularity in early 2025. Its relaxed branding resonated with crypto enthusiasts looking for community-focused projects.

Pros and Cons of Investing in Memecoins

Pros of Memecoin Investment

1. Potential for high returns: Memecoins can be an attractive investment opportunity due to their virality and strong community formation. Some cryptocurrencies have reached very high market capitalizations within days.
2. Community engagement: Joining communities of similarly minded enthusiasts can provide valuable networking and learning opportunities in the cryptocurrency space.
3. Lower entry barrier: Memecoins typically have a lower cost than mainstream cryptocurrencies, making them more accessible to beginners with limited capital.
4. Learning opportunity: Investing in memecoins can help newcomers learn about blockchain technology and cryptocurrency markets in a relatively low-stakes environment.
5. Trading opportunity: For traders who enjoy making numerous small trades, memecoins offer opportunities to potentially profit from short-term price movements.

Cons of Memecoin Investment

1. High volatility: Memecoins exhibit extreme price fluctuations, making them unsuitable for stable, long-term investment strategies.
2. Risk of scams: The memecoin market is rife with project abandonment, pump-and-dump schemes, and outright scams that can lead to significant financial losses.
3. Limited utility: Most memecoins lack practical use cases or utility beyond serving as tradable tokens, limiting their long-term value proposition.
4. Low liquidity: Less popular memecoins often suffer from low trading volumes, making it difficult to exit positions without affecting the price.
5. Regulatory uncertainty: As of February 2025, the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance stated that transactions in typical memecoins do not involve the offer and sale of securities under federal securities laws. However, regulatory positions may change, potentially affecting memecoin markets.

How to Create a Memecoin

Basic Process and Requirements

• A cryptocurrency wallet
• A small amount of cryptocurrency to cover blockchain and service fees (these are typically low)

Step-by-Step Creation Process

1. Connect your wallet
2. Hold sufficient cryptocurrency on the relevant blockchain to pay for fees
3. Choose a name for your token
4. Select a symbol (often limited to a few characters)
5. Set the number of decimals (nine is common for memecoins)
6. Determine the total supply of tokens in circulation
7. Upload a logo (usually PNG format)
8. Prepare a description for your token and enter it in the description field. This may include links to your website and social media.
9. Select the meme tag under token categories
10. Click Create Token, approve the blockchain transaction, and wait for your tokens to be issued

Platform Selection

Marketing and Community Building

1. Develop an engaging website that reflects the coin’s theme
2. Create social media accounts to promote your memecoin
3. Establish a presence on cryptocurrency forums and discussion platforms
4. Consider airdrops or giveaways to generate initial interest
5. Provide clear information about your project’s purpose and roadmap

Legal Considerations

1. According to the SEC’s February 2025 statement, typical memecoins do not involve the offer and sale of securities under federal securities laws. However, this doesn’t apply to tokens disguised as memecoins to evade securities regulations.
2. Fraudulent conduct related to the offer and sale of memecoins may be subject to enforcement action or prosecution by other federal or state agencies under other federal and state laws.
3. Some jurisdictions have specific regulations regarding cryptocurrency creation and distribution, so research local laws before proceeding.

How to Buy Memecoins?

1. Create a MEXC Account

• Sign up through the MEXC App
• Sign up on the MEXC website

2. Choose Your Purchase Method

• Credit/Debit Card: The simplest method for new users, supporting Visa and Mastercard payments.
• P2P/Fiat Trading: Purchase directly from other users with MEXC’s peer-to-peer service.
• Cross-border Bank Transfer: Deposit USDT via SEPA and then use spot trading to buy memecoins.
• Third-party Payment Services: Utilize payment services like Simplex, Banxa, or Mercuryo for spot trading.

3. Navigate to the Spot Trading Section

• Limit Order: Set your own price for buying memecoins. Your order will be executed at that price or better.
• Market Order: Purchase immediately at the current market price. This is faster but may result in price variations.
• Stop-Limit Order: Set a trigger price that, when reached, places a limit order at your specified price.
• OCO (One-Cancels-the-Other) Order: Combine a stop-limit order with a limit order. When one executes, the other automatically cancels.

4. Complete Your Purchase

5. Manage Your Memecoins

• Hold the memecoins in your MEXC account
• Transfer them to an external wallet for long-term storage
• Trade them for other cryptocurrencies
• Stake them on MEXC yield products to earn passive income where available

Security Considerations

• Use strong, unique passwords for your exchange accounts
• Enable two-factor authentication for added security
• Consider transferring significant holdings to secure cold wallets
• Research thoroughly before investing in any memecoin
• Only invest amounts you can afford to lose given the high volatility

Future of Memecoins

Market Predictions and Trends

1. Celebrity-driven tokens: The success of Memecoins associated with figures like Donald Trump, Melania Trump, and internet celebrities like Hailey Welch suggests that personality-driven tokens may continue to emerge and gain traction.
2. Governmental adoption: The creation of national Memecoins like CAR by the Central African Republic and the promotion of LIBRA by Argentina’s president indicate a potential trend of governments experimenting with Memecoins for various purposes.
3. Institutionalization: In January 2025, three US asset managers set out to launch exchange-traded funds investing in Memecoins linked to Trump and Musk, which the Financial Times describes as "casino-like speculation." This suggests growing institutional interest despite skepticism.

Regulatory Outlook

1. Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission banned memecoins as part of a crackdown on digital goods with "no clear objective or substance."
2. In the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority has investigated promotions of memecoins, considering them unregulated financial products.

Integration with Mainstream Finance

1. Enhanced utility: Future Memecoins might incorporate more practical use cases to provide longer-term value beyond speculation.
2. Cross-platform integration: Integration with gaming platforms, social media, and other digital ecosystems could expand the utility of memecoins.
3. New technological features: Advances in blockchain technology could lead to memecoins with improved functionality, security, or sustainability.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Speculation and the potential for high returns due to volatility
• Community engagement and a sense of belonging
• Accessibility, with lower entry barriers than many traditional crypto projects
• Educational purposes, as a way to learn about blockchain and trading
• Entertainment value, aligning with internet culture and viral trends

Conclusion