Key Insights
- Here’s how the top brass of the meme coins segment performed in 2025.
- Top meme coins, such as the TRUMP coin, have lagged despite previous hype and optimism surrounding them.
- Here’s how the top brass of the meme coin segment performed in 2025.
The meme coin segment turned out completely different in 2025 compared to the massive hype observed in 2024. It was one of the most affected crypto segments as the market adopted a risk-off sentiment due to unfavorable macroeconomic conditions.
But just how hard was the meme coin segment affected? The performance of some of the top meme coins in the segment may offer some perspective.
Dogecoin, the king of meme coin, was trading at $0.12 at press time. This was equivalent to a 62% discount from its 2025 opening price. This was DOGE’s most bearish year so far.
The bears did not spare fellow dog-themed meme coin Shiba Inu. It was down by 66% from its 12-month opening price. It has so far retreated close to its historic low range.
The sell-side pressure was even more intense for PEPE whose 2025 price action tanked by almost 80%.
TRUMP Joins the List of Meme Coins that Suffered Massive Drawdowns
The TRUMP meme coin made quite the splash when it was launched earlier this year. Its timing, along with its association with President Trump ahead of his inauguration, made it even more popular.
While many thought that it was destined to challenge top rivals such as Shiba Inu and Dogecoin, its performance has since then painted a different picture.
The TRUMP meme coin traded at $4.9 at press time, which was equivalent to an 83% drawdown from its opening price earlier this year. The discount was even more severe from its all-time high price.
Just like most of the top meme coins, TRUMP’s discounted price pushed it close to its lowest recorded range.
Newer meme coins have been receiving attention
Discounted prices often pave the way for recovery, but in the meme coins segment, investors often look to maximize gains elsewhere. This is why newer prospects often appear attractive, especially when they begin to gain traction in the mainstream.
There were a few upcoming meme coins that deserved honourable mention this week. For example, Luxxcoin (LUX) was up over 46% in the last 7 days. BurnedFi (BURN) pulled off a 19% rally, and Animecoin (ANIME) was up 49%during the same period.
It is worth noting that a week’s rally is one thing, but pushing into the top 10 or top 10 meme coins list by market cap is the real challenge.
Will the Meme Coin Segment Achieve a Solid Comeback in 2026?
The jury is still out on the crypto market’s liquidity prospects in 2026. However, sentiment around meme coin has no doubt been dwindling over the last few months.
One of the primary reasons top meme coin struggled to attract healthy liquidity in 2025 was the shifting market dynamics. Institutional involvement in the crypto market has centralized liquidity into a few cryptocurrencies.
In other words, liquidity flowed in favor of key narratives that offer value to institutions. The highly speculative nature of meme coins may have played a part in the r
However, these observations also raised more questions than answers about the future of the meme coins segment. Will the dawn of institutional involvement in crypto make meme coin obsolete, or will risk-on sentiment fuel recovery?
Source: https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2025/12/27/top-performing-meme-coins-of-2025-whats-in-store-for-the-segment-in-2026/
