Memecoins have been the leading narrative of the cycle after surpassing all expectations and becoming the top-performing sector of 2024. As we navigate 2025’s crypto market, emerging sectors like Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents could rival memecoins’ narrative mindshare. Related Reading: Solana (SOL) $200 Level Recovery Looks ‘Very Solid’, Is The Bleeding Over? Memecoins Defined 2024’s Crypto Market On Tuesday, Binance Research shared its “Full-Year 2024 & Themes for 2025” report, crowning memecoins as the “Defining Narrative of 2024. The platform highlighted the sector’s outstanding performance last year, which drove significant attention to the crypto market. According to the report, memecoins played a “significant role in onboarding new users to the crypto space and offer a unique way to monetize attention in the social media era.” Additionally, the notion of “so-called ‘blue-chip’ memes” served as a testament to the “growth and diversity of the memecoin market and its structure,” the report noted. The crypto community saw the creation of various sub-sectors within the memecoin space, encapsulating the events that shaped the year. For instance, PolitiFi tokens, which rose amid the American electoral campaign, recorded the many changes in the political landscape through these tokens. This narrative eventually led to the launch of the Solana-based TRUMP memecoin, the first-ever token officially backed by a politician. The memecoin was created in January to “celebrate Courage & Strength” after the July 2024 assassination attempt on President Trump. Binance Research points out that memecoins meteoric rise could be attributed to various factors, including increased transparency and a perception of fairness, accessibility, and addressing users’ frustration with the “low float, high FDV” issue. Additionally, it noted the sector’s high-risk, high-reward nature appears to have fulfilled the industry’s search for the first crypto AAA game. The report argues that the “thrill of creating memecoins of the smallest moments in cultures” trade them into “sky-high valuations” could be perceived as a game, keeping the community invested in the sector and increasing its popularity. AI Agents: The Growing Narrative Second to memecoins, the AI crypto sector took 12.6% of the narrative mindshare in 2024, opening the stage for the market’s “newer fascination,” AI Agents. This sub-sector captured investors’ attention throughout Q3 2024, fueled by Truth Terminal and GOAT’s growing popularity, and became a leading narrative in recent months. AI agents, initially sparked by Truth Terminal and $GOAT, have captured the market since October and become a dominant narrative. Infrastructure providers like Virtuals Protocol (G.A.M.E. framework) and ai16z (ElizaOS framework) have been key players. The sector has also faced backlash from the crypto community. Some investors consider the new trend “worse than other past trends,” arguing that it is “overrated.” Similarly, an anonymous poll showed that Solana founders consider AI agent tokens to be overhyped. Nonetheless, it has continuously evolved and has “lots more in development.” As of this writing, the sector has a market capitalization of $7.84 billion, according to CoinGecko data. What’s Next? Binance Research pointed out the issue of memecoin longevity, as many of the tokens see a rapid rise and fall. It considers that, despite not all tokens having the level of popularity to stand the test of time, memecoins are “likely to have some staying power” in some form. Related Reading: TRUMP Coin Tanks 18%—Even Donald Trump Couldn’t Save It Meanwhile, AI Agents are significantly earlier in their development but share the “power to onboard users (AI is a key topic across business and finance) and monetize attention.” As a result, the growth of the “AI x crypto” intersection is almost certain. The report concludes that the “entry of web2 into AI Agents, and the rapid development and anticipated trajectory of AI x crypto” are some of the key areas to watch this year. Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com
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Goatseus Maximus (GOAT), a new meme coin on the block, has taken the crypto community by storm with its aggressive surge since launching earlier this month. In just two weeks, GOAT skyrocketed from virtually zero to over $900 million in market capitalization, drawing comparisons with last year’s memecoin sensation, PEPE. This rapid ascent has captivated both analysts and investors, who are beginning to see GOAT as a potential contender for memecoin dominance in the current market cycle. Related Reading: Bitcoin Short Positions Face Serious Risk Above $68,500 – Details Much like PEPE’s explosive rise in 2023, GOAT has defied initial skepticism, proving that meme coins still hold significant sway among crypto enthusiasts and speculative traders. With its rapidly growing community and social media buzz, many are asking if GOAT has what it takes to become this cycle’s meme coin reference point. As the excitement builds, the market is closely watching to see if GOAT can maintain its momentum and establish itself as the next big name in the unpredictable world of meme coins. Can GOAT Lead Meme Coins This Cycle? Top crypto analyst and investor Daan recently shared an insightful comparison on X between the rising meme coin Goatseus Maximus (GOAT) and 2023’s sensation, PEPE. In his analysis, Daan noted that while GOAT has surged remarkably since its recent launch, the initial trajectory of PEPE was even faster. PEPE reached a market cap of approximately $1.4 billion within 22 days of launching, whereas by day 17, it held around $600 million—close to GOAT’s current standing. Daan emphasized that PEPE’s local peak occurred when Binance listed it for spot and perpetual contracts, sparking a “blow-off top.” This listing and the subsequent price spike marked a turning point, as PEPE didn’t return to those price levels for another 10 months. Daan also highlighted other quick-surge tokens, such as SLERF and BOME, which ran higher earlier this year during a local market peak. However, he believes GOAT and PEPE stand apart as probable long-term players in the meme coin space, given their roles as sector leaders. By positioning GOAT alongside PEPE, Daan underscored the potential for GOAT to mirror PEPE’s lasting appeal among investors. Related Reading: Solana Bullish Pattern Holds – Crypto Analyst Sets $202 Target As GOAT continues to gain traction, the market remains speculative, and comparisons like Daan’s shed light on how meme coins like GOAT could evolve—either stabilizing as a major player or facing a similar volatility cycle post-peak. With GOAT’s market cap climbing and interest growing, time will tell whether it can follow a similar trajectory to PEPE or carve out a unique legacy within the meme coin sector. Price Action: Technical View GOAT is currently trading at $0.637 after a retrace from its all-time high of $0.915. While data on GOAT’s price movements remain limited due to its recent launch, the 4-hour chart reveals essential levels that could define near-term demand and supply zones. The key demand level to watch is around $0.56—previously a significant resistance since GOAT’s debut, now flipped to act as strong support. If GOAT can hold above this $0.56 mark, it could signal sustained interest from buyers, positioning the token for another upward move. On the supply side, $0.72 is the next critical zone to test. A push through this level would likely bring new bullish momentum as traders look for higher levels and potential gains above recent highs. Related Reading: Ethereum Whale Activity Spikes To 6-Week High – Smart Money Accumulation? The $0.72 area will act as short-term resistance, and should GOAT manage to break through it, the price could move toward a fresh all-time high. As GOAT’s momentum develops, these levels offer a framework for monitoring its price action and gauging potential shifts in the market sentiment surrounding this rising meme coin. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView
Mati Greenspan says the next phase of the bull run will be “all about” Bitcoin and that AI-based memecoins are a massive gamble.