The meme coin market, which surged and crashed between 2021 and 2024, has cooled in 2026 but still contains upside. Representative ecosystems around pumps and memes—such as Pump.fun, Doge-inspired tokens, and Bonk—are evolving from hype into a distinct market segment. Pump.fun’s revenue scale has grown large enough to align with the income of leading stablecoins and DeFi platforms, a trend backed by DeFi analytics firm DeFiRama, which places Pump.fun in the top five by revenue. Matas Chepulis, founder of LuvKaizen, observes that meme coins tend to shine when overall attention fades, making 2026 an ideal time to identify solid projects. He also notes rising competition, saying that token appeal, accessibility, and community reach must all be competitive to win. He adds that the importance of influencer marketing (KOLs) has grown this year, and even multi-million-dollar marketing budgets can miss if the wrong influencers are chosen.
Solana is now the hub for meme coin activity. Chepulis explains that Pump.fun has spurred Solana’s ecosystem growth, with communities naturally crafting narratives that center around Solana and drive a meme coin market anchored there. Ethereum is catching up on the upside, but Monad’s challenge remains a hurdle in his view. He argues that Solana and Ethereum together already cover the ecosystem’s needs, and a large portion of meme coin on-chain activity and revenue now originates on Solana. The network recently posted a three-month high in meme coin trading volume, which market participants view as a signal of potential recovery. He emphasizes that there is no true meme coin supercycle driven by a standalone narrative; rather, movements in meme coins tend to ride Bitcoin’s price action, whether bullish or bearish.
The trajectory of meme coins hinges on Bitcoin’s strength. Chepulis notes that meme coins follow the broader uptrends of BTC, while a drop can wipe out a significant portion of meme coin value. In rallies, meme coins may outperform other altcoins; in downturns, they are among the first to fall by roughly 90–99%. Current trends focus on timely “TikTok memes” and the loyalty of communities. Projects like Milady and Retardio demonstrate strong community cohesion that helps weather downturns, and recent events show that de-listing or suspensions can be reversed, underscoring the power of community signals. Launchpads are no longer a prerequisite for meme token momentum, as Chepulis explains that Pump.fun enables easy token issuance, with the emphasis now on the project’s community and concept. Because not every KOL fits every project, Chepulis runs Kolhq, a platform that helps match influencers to appropriate memes, highlighting that demand for KOLs remains high, but precise targeting is essential. For investors seeking systematic strategies, Chepulis suggests opportunities exist in meme coins with market caps above $100 million, while lower-cap tokens may be driven by a small circle of insiders and market makers. Finally, he highlights current focus tokens such as Milady, Cult, Retardio, and SPX6900, arguing these projects offer more than memes through enduring IP, storytelling, and sustainability in the market. Overall, meme coins are no longer mere jokes; they have evolved into a living, evolving market that requires disciplined risk management and a clear understanding of community dynamics to survive. The era of relying on a gut feel is over; data-driven analysis and robust communities are essential to thrive in meme coin investing.
Leave a Reply